Tremendously rich and endlessly eccentric.
The combination of filthy rich, crazy and royal can create special scenes. In the latest Glamial we list a number of royals who have managed to make quite a living with their absurd wealth.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand: 40 billion
Fickle King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand (71) is known for his ultra-luxurious double life as an unfaithful playboy with a harem of an average of twenty concubines. He largely resides near Munich where he leads a Western life. The rest of the time he cleverly rakes in power and money in Thailand, where he is untouchable due to the super strict lese majeste law. So things are well organised.
How crazy?
If you let your wife celebrate the birthday of your poodle, also Air Marshal, Fufu dressed in just a thong, you’re pretty much out of line. Vajiralongkorn’s preference for sagging jeans and crop tops in which he walks through airports and through German shopping centers is also quite eccentric. But whoever is that rich can have it. He collects gems like marbles, has 38 aircraft (a handful of Boeings, some Airbuses), including 21 helicopters for his transportation. And the Royal Yacht does not leave the harbor without 52 gold-decorated boats in a flotilla.
And then some more…
The chicest thing about the King of Thailand is his fourth wife, Queen Suthida. But she has to tolerate concubine Sineenat next to her. When Vajiralongkorn’s sister Sirindhorn noticed that this did not make a good impression, he reportedly broke both her ankles after she was toppled by one of his dogs. According to insiders, the king then jumped on her legs with his full weight. Not exactly an act of brotherly love.
The Grimaldis: 1 billion
Monaco may not be big, but the Grimaldis have become very wealthy thanks to investments and real estate. A large part of the private wealth is in a trust fund from which the extended family also benefits. Albert and Charlene are living it up in the pink palace (marble, gold, art – the furnishings of Char’s office alone were worth 1 million), with private jets on standby. They paid 965,000 euros for the new furnishing of the holiday villa in Corsica, without blinking.
How crazy?
Dubiously crazy, according to Claude Palmero, Albert’s former accountant who was employed for 22 years but was fired last year due to alleged corruption. Claude wants revenge and claims that the prince spends millions on ex-mistresses and illegitimate children: eldest daughter Jazmin alone receives 79,000 euros every quarter. Albert is also said to have favored his cousins Pierre and Andrea Casiraghi for years by awarding them lucrative construction contracts and buying off critics. Charlene, in turn, transferred 300,000 euros to her brother Sean three times for unclear reasons.
And then some more…
According to Palmero, Charlene spent almost €15 million on personal matters between 2011 and 2019, almost double her allowance. Official staff could not get rid of it. Claude says that the chef earned 300 euros per day and that the nannies were paid 100 euros per day. Her entourage also included a Filipina who had a tourist visa that was only valid for one month, while the woman had already been employed by the princess for five years. Albert is not yet impressed: “Palmero’s attacks against me and the state prove his true nature and lack of respect for the family and the principality.”
Curious about the entire list of Crazy Rich Royals? You can find the entire article in the latest Glamial, now in stores!
Text: Ella Vermeulen | Image: NL Image
