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Who owns more of London than King Charles? Hint: Not any British royal
A foreign royal family has 1.8 million square feet of real estate in London, estimated at around £2.4 billion.
The House of Al-Thani, the ruling House of Qatar, has built a real estate empire in London. They own more of London than King Charles. Reportedly, the Qatari family has a collection of private houses all over the capital.
How much real estate does the Qatari royal family own?
GB reported that the Al Thani family has 1.8 million square feet of real estate in the city. Northwestern Mayfair is dubbed Little Doha because of the high number of properties owned by the Middle Eastern royal family. They control real estate in a quarter of the area, including some of Britain's most valuable private homes.
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The family is estimated to have around £2.4 billion worth of real estate, with the Emir of Qatar and the house’s patriarch, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, having £1.6 billion alone.
Share in prominent businesses:
According to GB, the Al-Thani family also owns some of London's most famous brands. In 2010, the iconic department store Harrods was sold to Qatar Investment Authority, which was founded by the state of Qatar and is the nation’s sovereign wealth fund.
Qatari politician and royal family member Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani reportedly serves as a director of Maybourne Hotels. The group operates some of the most exclusive hotels in London, including The Berkeley, The Connaught, Claridge's, and The Emory.
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Projects in London funded by the Qatari royal family:
The Qatari rulers invested in several projects. The state of Qatar owns 95% of The Shard, West Europe’s tallest building. In addition, the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund co-owns Canary Wharf, a privately owned financial district.
The Qatar Investment Authority holds a 20% stake in Heathrow Airport. The Qataries also own a 14.3% stake in Sainsbury's, one of Britain’s largest supermarkets.
British royal family’s real estate in London:
The British royal family, headed by King Charles, owns several iconic palaces, including Buckingham Palace, St James's Palace, Kensington Palace, and Clarence House. The king also holds the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace as part of the Crown Estate. However, those are not considered private properties. They are owned by the sovereign on behalf of the nation.
