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How Rich Are Britain’s Royals?

The House of Windsor owns huge tracks of land and all the swans in the country. What does that even mean?

By , a deputy editor at Foreign Policy.
ASCOT, ENGLAND - JUNE 18:  Prince Charles, Prince Of Wales  attends day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, on June 18, 2013.
ASCOT, ENGLAND - JUNE 18: Prince Charles, Prince Of Wales attends day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, on June 18, 2013.
ASCOT, ENGLAND - JUNE 18: Prince Charles, Prince Of Wales attends day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, on June 18, 2013. Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse

The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II has put a spotlight on the emotional impact that the British royal family has on the United Kingdom. The monarchy’s economic impact, however, is much harder to gauge—partly because it’s a vestige of an earlier understanding of economics.

Cameron Abadi is a deputy editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @CameronAbadi

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