This is exactly how much money the Queen really has

It's eye-watering

Words by Jadie Troy-Pryde

There's something about the royal family that means we're fascinated by everything they do - whether it's when Prince Harry will propose to Meghan Markle, or all the times that Prince William and Kate Middleton ripped up the royal rule book in favour of doing things their way.

And when it comes to the Queen herself, it's no different. We know how much she spends on socks, we know that she has banned this one ingredient from the royal kitchen and we were blown away to find out that she even has an ATM in the Buckingham Palace basement.

But, unlike us, she probably doesn't have to close one eye, wince and pray to the money Gods when she pops down there to withdraw some spending money. Why? Because The Sunday Times have estimated the Queen's personal fortune, and lets just say she probably isn't living off of beans until payday.

According to the report, Liz is the 319th richest person in the UK with her total income for 2016 coming in at a hefty £54 million.

But all in all, the Queen's fortune amounts to around £340 million. Casual.

How does she make all that cash? Well last year she received a £40.1 million Sovereign Grant from the Treasury, which is primarily funded by the taxpayers in the UK. The annual payment acts as a grant for the Queen and her family to carry out royal duties, but some of that funding comes from the Crown Estate revenue. Oh, and there's that little (read: huge) sum the royals get for expenses.

It's estimated that her Sovereign Grant will increase to £76 million in the next year, but the Queen also earns money from her personal investments such as her private estates (Balmoral Castle and Sandringham). Then there's the Privy Purse, which holds the land and property portfolio for the sovereign, and the full £12.5 million a year profit goes straight to Liz.

Not a bad little earner.