It's easy to think of literally any story of a "commoner" marrying a royal as a Cinderella story, but Kate Middleton was definitely not living that Cinderella lifestyle before she met her Prince Charming. As the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate has a piece of the royal family's massive fortune (the family's overall value is estimated at $88 billion, according to Forbes), but here's a fun fact: Turns out Kate was rich AF before she married Prince William.
RELATED STORY
Ready for the number? Kate's personal net worth (as in outside of the royal family) is at least £5 million and could be as high as £7.3 million, according to Time (via global wealth-tracking firm Wealth-X). In American dollars, that's a $7 to $10 million dollar fortune.
Kate owes her massive personal bank account to her family, who own a very profitable online party supply business called Party Pieces, which is estimated to be worth £30 million (about $50 million). Of course, the Middleton family biz has definitely benefitted from Kate's association with the royals, which started about a decade before she officially married Will in 2011.
Kate worked at Party Pieces (as well as a buyer for a British retailer called Jigsaw) between graduating from college and settling down with Will. These days, Will and Kate live in Kensington Palace in London, but back in her bachelorette phase, Kate wasn't living in a hovel with roommates and subsisting on ramen and hope like many recent grads. Nope, she was living in a luxe apartment in Chelsea in London that is believed to be worth £1 million, or $1.4 million. Her parents reportedly bought the pad.
William, on the other hand, is worth much more. He and Harry inherited Princess Diana's substantial fortune and are each worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 to $40 million, according to Business Insider.
Kayleigh Roberts is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, covering celebrity and entertainment news, from actual royals like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle to Hollywood royalty, like Katie Holmes and Chrissy Teigen. She’s a Ravenclaw who would do great things in Slytherin. To learn more about her, google “Leslie Knope eating salad GIF.
-
Kanye West and Julia Fox Channeled Britney and Justin in Canadian TuxedosMajor déjà vu.
-
The Queen Will Spend Her Reign's 70th Anniversary at a Sandringham Cottage for This Heartbreaking Reason
It’s a tribute to both her late father and her late husband.
-
Prince William Is No Longer “Reluctant” to Become King, Says Expert
The idea of taking the throne used to weigh on him, but he’s “accepted” his role now.
-
Surprise! Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas Are Parents
They welcomed a baby via surrogate.
-
This Therapy Dog Liked Kate Middleton Way More Than Prince William
No hard feelings!
-
Prince Charles Is "Desperate" to See Grandchildren Archie and Lilibet, Royal Source Says
He's never met Lili in person.
-
Meghan Markle Probably Declined to Stay With Prince Charles Because It Would Be Too "Awkward," Royal Expert Says
To be fair, I wouldn't want to be at *that* breakfast table.
-
Kate Middleton and Prince William Are "Undeniably on the Same Page" as They Step Out for Their First Joint Engagement of 2022: Body Language Expert
They're both confident in each other.
-
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Might Not Come for Prince Philip's Memorial After Being Denied Security in the U.K.
The duke doesn't think it's safe for his family.
-
Kate Middleton Is Responsible for the Royal Family's Future, Insider Says
Sounds like a lot...
-
Why Kate Middleton Didn't Let Prince George Wear an England Shirt at the Euros Final, According to a Royal Expert
It has to do with his future.
