King Charles III and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak both have an estimated net worth of £640 million in 2025, placing them jointly at number 238 on the Sunday Times Rich List. The monarch’s wealth increased significantly, rising 20 places from last year, largely due to profitable wind farm deals by the Crown Estate. These deals doubled returns and increased the sovereign grant that supports royal expenses. However, many royal assets, such as Buckingham Palace, remain publicly owned “in the right of the Crown” and are not part of his personal fortune. King Charles’s private wealth includes estates like Balmoral and Sandringham, along with investments inherited from Queen Elizabeth II.
Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak’s exit from politics has not affected his financial standing much. He now works part-time at Stanford University and is involved with the Washington Speakers Bureau, earning from speaking engagements. His wife, Akshata Murty, earned £7.5 million in dividends last year from her stake in Infosys, though recent declines in the tech stock’s value reduced some of their wealth. Despite this, their combined fortune rose enough to improve their rank from 245th last year.
Indian Billionaires Lead the List
The Hinduja family remains the wealthiest in the UK for the fourth consecutive year, with a fortune of £35.3 billion despite a £2 billion loss. Close behind are David and Simon Reuben at number two with £26.87 billion. Other prominent Indian-origin billionaires include Lakshmi Mittal, ranked eighth with £15.44 billion, and Anil Agarwal at 25th with £7.5 billion. The list also features Prakash Lohia, Mohsin and Zuber Issa, Navin and Varsha Engineer, the Arora brothers, and Lord Swraj Paul among the top 100.
Decline in UK Billionaires
The 2025 Rich List shows a decline in the number of billionaires in the UK—the steepest in 37 years—dropping from 165 to 156. The list compiler, Robert Watts, attributed this to economic uncertainties including market volatility and tariffs. He noted this as the third consecutive year of overall wealth decline among the richest individuals.Economic Challenges Amid Wealth
The UK’s richest face financial challenges in a volatile economy, but key sectors like wind farms and Indian-origin business leaders remain resilient. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Sunak is maintaining his wealth through academic and speaking roles. The Rich List highlights how wealth is shifting and adapting in uncertain times.
