- 4 months ago
The Richest Wife In The World
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00They say behind every successful man is a woman, well, sometimes she's right next to him counting her billions, while we count what's left before payday.
00:07Mackenzie Scott turned heartbreak into billions.
00:10Abigail Johnson manages more money before lunch than you'll see in a lifetime.
00:14Julia Koch inherited enough billions to make trust fund babies jealous.
00:18And Savitri Jindal runs an empire so massive that your 9 to 5 feels like a lemonade stand.
00:23Ready to feel broke? Let's dive into the wealthiest wives in the world.
00:26Francoise Bettencourt Myers, wife of Jean-Pierre Myers and granddaughter of Eugene Schueler, isn't just married to money, she is money.
00:37She is a billionaire heiress to the L'Oreal throne and possessor of a net worth that dances around the $100 billion mark.
00:44That's not just monopoly money, that's buying a small country and renaming it after your favorite shade of lipstick kind of money.
00:50Her 33% stake in L'Oreal generates enough dividend income to make a Swiss banker sweat with envy.
00:55Born in 1953, Francoise didn't just inherit wealth, she inherited a legacy of chemical innovation thanks to Grandpa Eugene Schueler and boardroom battles thanks to, well, being part of the Bettencourt dynasty.
01:07She's authored books, proving she's as comfortable discussing biblical commentary as she is discussing the stock price of L'Oreal.
01:13Of course, dynastic wealth rarely comes drama-free, and the Bettencourt family feuds could put a primetime soap opera to shame.
01:20At the center of it all, the infamous legal battles involving François-Marie Bagnet, a 1.3 billion euro scandal that revolved around cash, art and insurance policies.
01:30That's billion with a B, the kind of money you don't just misplace under a couch cushion.
01:34Following her mother's passing in 2017, Francoise's coffers swelled.
01:38But it wasn't just passive inheritance, smart investments and L'Oreal's robust performance fueled the surge.
01:43In 2023, L'Oreal's revenue hit 41 billion euros, proving that people will always pay for the promise of eternal youth, or at least fewer wrinkles.
01:52But she's not just hoarding wealth, she's making headlines for giving it away.
01:56The $226 million pledged to Notre Dame was a statement,
02:00Yes, I'm richer than Croesus, and yes, I care about preserving cultural heritage.
02:04That's enough to rebuild the cathedral in Goldleaf, and still have spare change for a decent bottle of Bordeaux.
02:09So, Francoise Bettencourt Myers isn't just a name on the Forbes list, she's a powerhouse, a board member steering a global empire,
02:16a major shareholder raking in dividends that could fund a small nation,
02:19and a philanthropist with the means to make a real difference, or at least generate some good PR.
02:24So next time you reach for that L'Oreal mascara, remember you're contributing to the fortune of a woman who could probably buy and sell your entire life a thousand times over.
02:31But hey, at least you'll have fabulous lashes while you're doing it, because as L'Oreal says, you're worth it,
02:36even if it is just a tiny fraction of Francoise's billions.
02:40While Francoise Bettencourt Myers built her fortune on beauty and luxury,
02:43the next wife on our list has wealth flowing from oil, chemicals, and one of America's largest private companies.
02:49Julia Koch, $74 billion
02:51Julia Koch, widow of the late industrialist David Koch, proves that inheriting a fortune is a job too,
02:57and one she does with a net worth hovering around $74 billion.
03:00This places her among the wealthiest women globally, a financial stratosphere where the air is thin, and the shopping sprees are legendary.
03:08Born Julia Flesher on April 12, 1962, in Indianola, Iowa.
03:12She's not just a socialite, she's a former model with a Bachelor of Arts Science from the University of Central Arkansas.
03:18Before inheriting a 42% stake in Koch Industries, she worked for fashion designer Adolfo, even fitting clothes for Nancy Reagan.
03:25Talk about a glow-up.
03:26Julia met David on a blind date in 1991, marrying him five years later.
03:30It's a classic tale.
03:32Iowa Girl makes it big in NYC, marries a billionaire, and inherits an empire.
03:35They have three children.
03:37Koch Industries, the source of her immense wealth, is the second largest privately held company in the U.S.,
03:42with interests spanning energy, chemicals, and manufacturing.
03:45It's the kind of diversified portfolio that makes financial advisors drool, and environmental activists shudder.
03:51Since David's death in 2019, Julia has taken on a more prominent role in philanthropy,
03:55serving as president of the David H. Koch Foundation.
03:58The foundation channels funds into health, education, and the arts.
04:02It's a noble pursuit, proving that even billionaires have a soft spot for things that can't be bought directly.
04:07Her estimated net worth in Forbes' February 2025 ranking was over $74 billion.
04:13While numbers fluctuate, her position as one of the wealthiest women in the world is secure.
04:17In April 2023, Forbes ranked her as the second richest woman in the world, with an estimated fortune of $59 billion.
04:25Julia Koch is a force in philanthropy and high society.
04:28From fitting dresses for a first lady to managing a multi-billion dollar fortune,
04:32she's had a trajectory that would make Cinderella jealous.
04:35While Julia Koch built her legacy through industry and philanthropy,
04:39Jacqueline Mars proves that sometimes the sweetest fortunes come wrapped in chocolate and caramel.
04:43Jacqueline Mars, while not currently a wife because she's been divorced twice,
04:52proves that you don't need a husband to build a candy empire,
04:54though being born into one certainly helps.
04:56As heiress to the Mars Inc. fortune,
04:58she's sitting pretty with a real-time net worth of $42.4 billion.
05:02That's enough to buy approximately $84.8 billion Snickers bars,
05:06though we doubt even she could eat that many.
05:08Born October 10, 1939, Jacqueline is the granddaughter of Frank C. Mars,
05:12who started it all with some buttercream candies.
05:15One can only imagine the sugar rushes at family gatherings.
05:18She graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a degree in anthropology,
05:21which probably comes in handy when trying to understand the primal urges
05:24that drive people to consume mass quantities of chocolate.
05:28Jacqueline joined Mars Inc. in 1982 as Food Product Group President,
05:32a role that likely involved a lot of taste testing and strategic decisions
05:35about the perfect peanut-to-chocolate ratio.
05:38She retired in 2001,
05:40presumably to dedicate more time to philanthropic pursuits and equestrian activities,
05:44because when you're that rich,
05:46you need hobbies that are both meaningful and involve horses.
05:49While the Mars family is famously private,
05:51Jacqueline has stepped into the spotlight for philanthropic endeavors,
05:54supporting institutions like the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
05:59It's a noble pursuit,
06:00proving that even candy heiresses have a soft spot for things that aren't made of sugar.
06:04Though we suspect she still sneaks a Snickers bar every now and then.
06:07Her estimated net worth fluctuates depending on which index you consult.
06:11Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated her net worth at $46.6 billion as of November 2023,
06:18while Forbes estimated her fortune at $38.3 billion in its 2023 ranking of the richest women.
06:25Either way, she's in the top echelon of the world's wealthiest individuals.
06:28As of February 12, 2025, Forbes estimates her real-time net worth at $42.4 billion.
06:35Jacqueline Mars is a force in the business.
06:37World a quiet philanthropist,
06:39and a reminder that sometimes the sweetest things in life come with a multi-billion dollar inheritance.
06:44And while the rest of us are stuck paying extra for that fun-sized Snickers,
06:47she's probably got a lifetime supply in her mansion,
06:49alongside a stable full of horses and a very good dental plan.
06:52While Jacqueline Mars built an empire on candy,
06:55the next is making waves by giving their fortune away faster than they earned it.
06:59Mackenzie Scott, $42.1 billion.
07:03Mackenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon's Jeff Bezos,
07:05proves that sometimes the best way to become one of the richest women in the world
07:09is to marry a guy who sells everything from books to blenders,
07:12then amicably and lucratively divorce him.
07:15With a net worth that once hovered around $40 billion,
07:17now closer to $30 billion after some Amazon share sales,
07:21Scott has taken the lemons of divorce
07:23and made philanthropic lemonade on a scale
07:25that would make even the most seasoned philanthropist raise an eyebrow.
07:28Born Mackenzie Tuttle on April 7, 1970 in San Francisco,
07:32she's not just a billionaire.
07:33She's a novelist with a degree in English from Princeton University.
07:36She even worked alongside Bezos at D.E. Shaw, a hedge fund,
07:40where she was reportedly the one he tasked to conduct her interview
07:42in the initial rounds before they embarked on their Amazon adventure.
07:46It's a meet-cute that screams corporate synergy.
07:48In 1993, the couple married and quit their jobs to start Amazon.
07:52After 25 years of marriage, three sons, and an adopted daughter from China,
07:57Jeff and Mackenzie announced their split in January 2019.
08:00The detail that stands out is that they didn't sign a premarital agreement.
08:04And the logic is simple.
08:05Amazon hadn't come into existence when they tied the knot.
08:08The divorce settlement was the stuff of legends.
08:10Scott walked away with roughly $38.3 billion in Amazon stock,
08:14which amounted to a 4% stake in the company.
08:17That's enough to make anyone's conscious uncoupling feel like a financial windfall.
08:21After parting ways with Jeff Bezos,
08:23Mackenzie Scott fell in love with a science teacher named Dan Jewett,
08:27and they got married in March 2021.
08:29It was shocking for everyone to see Mackenzie tying the knot with a science teacher
08:33who used to teach children at Seattle's Lakeside School.
08:36Unfortunately, after being together for a year,
08:38it was in September 2022 when Mackenzie filed for divorce,
08:41and in January 2023, she parted ways with Dan Jewett.
08:45But here's where the story takes an interesting turn.
08:48Scott has committed to giving away the majority of her wealth to charitable causes.
08:52Through her organization, Yield Giving, she has donated billions to various organizations.
08:57Mackenzie Scott is proving that sometimes the best revenge is living well and giving generously.
09:01She's rewriting the narrative of the divorced billionaire, one donation at a time.
09:06And while Elon Musk might have taken a jab at her philanthropic endeavors,
09:09Scott seems unfazed, continuing her mission to give away her fortune with the kind of zeal
09:14that makes the rest of us feel woefully inadequate.
09:17Moving forward, we have a billionaire who proves you don't need a husband to build an empire.
09:21Abigail Johnson, $39.8 billion.
09:25Abigail Johnson proves that you don't need a husband to command a fortune that would make
09:29Croesus himself blush.
09:31She is married to Christopher J. McCown, co-founder and president of a healthcare information company.
09:35As the chairperson and CEO of Fidelity Investments, she's calling the shots on a $39.8 billion empire.
09:42Born on December 19, 1961, Abigail inherited good genes and a knack for finance.
09:48Her grandfather founded Fidelity Management and Research,
09:50so you could say she was born with a silver stock certificate in her mouth.
09:54She earned a bachelor's degree in art history because even billionaires need to appreciate a good Rembrandt.
09:59She then wisely got an MBA from Harvard Business School.
10:02Johnson started at Fidelity in the 1980s, working her way up from customer service.
10:07It's comforting to know that even the ultra-rich have to deal with angry customers at some point,
10:11though we suspect her complaints were a bit more nuanced.
10:14By 2014, she descended to the CEO spot, taking over from her father.
10:19In 2016, she became chairman, giving her full control of Fidelity and its 45,000 employees.
10:24Her main source of income comes from Fidelity Investments.
10:28The Johnson family owns 49% of the company.
10:30Abigail has also brought Fidelity into the cryptocurrency game,
10:34enabling institutional investors to trade Bitcoin and Ethereum.
10:38Abigail Johnson shows that sometimes the best way to build a fortune
10:41is to inherit a good head for business and a family legacy that's already worth billions.
10:46And while the rest of us are struggling to balance our checkbooks,
10:48she's probably figuring out how to spend her next billion, all while married and with two children.
10:53While Abigail Johnson is shaping a financial empire,
10:56the next story shows how a woman built her fortune.
10:59With a mix of inheritance and business savvy.
11:02Savitri Jindal, $34.3 billion
11:04Savitri Jindal, widow of the late OP Jindal and chairperson emeritus of the OP Jindal Group,
11:11proves that sometimes the best way to climb the Forbes list is through a combination of inheritance,
11:15shrewd business acumen, and perhaps a little bit of steel, considering the family's core industry.
11:20As India's wealthiest woman, she commands a net worth of $34.3 billion,
11:26a figure that could make even the most seasoned Maharajas clutch their pearls.
11:29Born on March 20th, 1950 in Tinsukya,
11:32Assam, Jindal wasn't always destined for the Forbes 50.
11:36She married OP Jindal in the 1970s,
11:38and while he built the Jindal Group into a steel and power conglomerate,
11:42she was busy raising a family and presumably learning the ins and outs of the business world.
11:46She eventually became the chairperson of the group after her husband's untimely death in a helicopter crash in 2005,
11:53a leadership transition that would make for a dramatic Bollywood script.
11:56The Jindal Group is a diversified conglomerate with interests in steel, power, cement, and infrastructure.
12:03It's the kind of portfolio that makes financial analysts drool, and environmentalists well.
12:07Perhaps not.
12:08The group's companies were divided among her four sons, each managing a distinct segment,
12:13proving that even billionaire families have to figure out sibling dynamics when dividing the spoils.
12:18Jindal has also dabbled in politics, serving as a minister in the Haryana government and a member of the Haryana Vidan Sabha.
12:24She even lost her seat in the 2014 elections,
12:27a humbling experience that proves even billionaires aren't immune to the whims of the electorate.
12:32While she may be the richest woman in India,
12:34Jindal also shares the global spotlight with other female financial titans like L'Oreal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Myers and Walmart's Alice Walton.
12:42It's the kind of company that makes you wonder what their book club discussions are like.
12:46So whether she's navigating the complexities of the steel industry or maneuvering the treacherous waters of Indian politics,
12:52Savitri Jindal is a force to be reckoned with.
12:55She is also the president of Maharaja Agrarsan Medical College, Agroha.
12:59She proves that even after inheriting a vast fortune, there's still plenty of room for ambition, influence,
13:04and perhaps just a little bit of well-deserved recognition.
13:07While Savitri Jindal is building her legacy, Miriam Adelson is keeping her late husbands.
13:12Empire and Fortune Thriving
13:13Miriam Adelson, widow of the late casino magnate Sheldon Adelson,
13:21proves that behind every great fortune there's a woman who inherited it
13:24and probably knows how to count cards better than most of us.
13:27As the wealthiest Israeli in the world, Miriam commands a cool $32 billion,
13:32a figure so large it could make even the most seasoned high roller question their life choices.
13:36Born Miriam Farbstein in 1945 in what was then mandatory Palestine to Holocaust survivor parents,
13:43she's not your average housewife of Las Vegas type.
13:46She earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Genetics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
13:51and a medical degree from Tel Aviv University's Sackler Medical School.
13:55Before becoming a casino queen, she was a chief internist in an emergency room at Tel Aviv's Rokash Hospital.
14:01Talk about a career change from saving lives to counting chips.
14:04Miriam met Sheldon in 1989 at Rockefeller University while she was specializing in drug addiction.
14:10Apparently even billionaires need love, or at least someone to share their gambling empire with
14:14and maybe offer some medical advice after a particularly rough night at the tables.
14:19They married in 1991.
14:21The Adelson's were major players in Republican politics,
14:24donating sums that could make a seasoned lobbyist blush.
14:27Miriam served as a finance vice chair for Donald Trump's inauguration.
14:30They donated $75 million to Trump's failed re-election bid,
14:34which is either a testament to their political convictions or the most expensive lost bet in history.
14:39Trump awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
14:42proving that even presidents appreciate a generous donor,
14:45especially one who might need a casino built on Mars someday.
14:48After Sheldon died in 2021, Miriam took the reins of his empire,
14:52becoming the majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands.
14:55She also owns the Israel Hayom newspaper, and with her family, the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
15:00Because what's a fortune without a little media influence?
15:03It's like owning all the hotels in Monopoly and then buying the newspaper to write glowing reviews.
15:08She is also the majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team with her son-in-law Patrick Dumont.
15:13Miriam Adelson isn't just sitting on her billions.
15:16Through the Adelson Foundation, she and Sheldon contributed hundreds of millions to Jewish and Israeli causes.
15:21Because when you're that rich, you can afford to be philanthropic or at least improve your public image.
15:26The Adelsons have collected approximately $10 billion in Sands dividends
15:29and even staved off bankruptcy for the company in 2008 by contributing $1 billion.
15:35So whether she's saving souls from addiction or influencing presidential elections,
15:39Miriam Adelson is a force to be reckoned with.
15:41She proves that money can't buy happiness.
15:43But it can buy a lot of other things, including political influence, media empires, the Dallas Mavericks,
15:48and maybe even a slightly better chance of winning at blackjack.
15:51While Miriam Adelson continues to shape her empire,
15:54next we have Iris Fontbona who turned a strong marriage into a powerful dynasty.
15:59Iris Fontbona, $25.7 billion.
16:02Iris Fontbona, while now a widow, proves that marrying well can set you up for a lifetime of financial success,
16:08though she's far more than just a wife.
16:10As the matriarch of the Luxic family and controller of a Chilean empire,
16:14she wields a fortune estimated at around $25.7 billion.
16:18Let's just say she doesn't need to clip coupons unless they're for solid gold-plated dish soap.
16:23Born in Chile in 1942 or 1943,
16:27Iris met Andronico Luxic Abaroa when she was just 17,
16:30and he was a slightly less jailbaity.
16:32They married the following year,
16:34launching her into a world of copper mines and complex financial dealings.
16:38For much of her early life, Fontbona's involvement in the business world
16:41was primarily behind the scenes.
16:42She became stepmother to Andronico's five children.
16:46Fontbona inherited her wealth after her husband's death in 2005,
16:50becoming the majority stockholder in Antofagasta,
16:52one of the world's biggest copper mining companies.
16:55This instantly made her the richest person in Chile,
16:58a title she continues to hold today.
17:00Her son, Jean-Paul Luxic, manages Antofagasta PLC,
17:04one of the largest mining companies in the world.
17:06The three male children took over the different parts of the business empire,
17:09but her business acumen doesn't stop there.
17:11Fontbona also controls through Quinenco, Banco de Chile,
17:15Madeco, a copper products manufacturer,
17:17the country's largest brewer, CCU,
17:19and shipping giant, CSAV,
17:21the world's 16th largest shipping company by TEUs.
17:24She owns luxury hotel chains and a luxury resort in Croatia.
17:28And if she gets bored with all that,
17:29she also acquired a 70% stake in the Chilean television station, Canal 13.
17:34In general, most major business decisions affecting any of the companies she has a management interest in
17:39need to be run by Fontbona,
17:41even if her sons primarily run the day-to-day affairs of the businesses.
17:45Despite her considerable wealth and power,
17:47Fontbona maintains a relatively low profile,
17:50rarely granting interviews.
17:52She spends her time between residences in Vita Cura, Santiago, Chile,
17:56Belgravia in London, and Liechtenstein.
17:58She is a devout follower of the Roman Catholic faith.
18:01Fontbona has made significant contributions to philanthropy in Chile,
18:05including record donations to the Chilean Telethon,
18:08which helps children with physical disabilities.
18:10She donated $1 billion in 2015 and $4 billion in 2016,
18:14setting new records for the charity event.
18:16Next up, we have Suzanne Clatten,
18:18who's shaping Germany's economy $1 billion at a time.
18:21Suzanne Clatten, $24.1 billion.
18:24Suzanne Clatten isn't just someone's wife.
18:27She's the financial engine of a significant chunk of Germany's economy,
18:30proving that some legacies are built, not just inherited.
18:34Armed with a reported net worth of $24.1 billion,
18:38this woman's financial footprint is larger than many small nations.
18:42While various sources offer slightly different estimations,
18:45her consistent ranking as Germany's wealthiest woman remains unchallenged.
18:48Born Suzanne Hannah Ursula Quant on April 28, 1962,
18:53she's an automotive royalty by birthright.
18:55Her father, Herbert, famously rescued BMW from the brink,
18:58transforming it into the global powerhouse we know today.
19:01Imagine having a family origin story that's essentially a corporate superhero tale.
19:06But Clatten isn't just coasting on inherited wealth.
19:08She's a businesswoman in her own right,
19:10boasting a degree in business finance and an MBA from IMD Business School in Lausanne.
19:15Before she was running Empires,
19:16she sharpened her skills at ad agency Young and Rubicam,
19:19and cleverly worked incognito as Suzanne Kant at various banks and consultancies,
19:24perhaps to avoid the heiress discount on her work.
19:27Her primary sources of wealth are her considerable stakes in BMW,
19:31owning roughly 21.7% of its common shares,
19:34and the chemical giant Altana.
19:36She played a pivotal role in transforming Altana into a world-class player,
19:40and ultimately acquired the majority of its shares.
19:42Beyond cars and chemicals,
19:44Clatten also holds shares in the graphite manufacturer SGL Carbon,
19:47credit card security firm Intrust Datacard,
19:50and turbine developer Nordex,
19:52demonstrating a portfolio as diverse as it is lucrative.
19:55Suzanne's accomplishments haven't gone unnoticed.
19:57She received the Bavarian Order of Merit in 2007.
20:00She was also named an honorary.
20:02Senator of the Technical University of Munich in 2004,
20:05and received an honorary degree from the University of Buckingham in 2022.
20:09In 2017, she received 504 million euros for her 20.9% of the shares.
20:16Despite her public profile, Clatten values her privacy.
20:19Her life hasn't been without drama,
20:21including a high-profile blackmail attempt in 2007.
20:25Suzanne Clatten is a powerful force in the business world,
20:28a reminder that intelligence, determination, and a solid foundation
20:31can pave the way to unprecedented success.
20:34While many dream of winning the lottery,
20:36she embodies a reality where inherited wealth is just the starting line,
20:40not the finish.
20:41Following Suzanne, next we have Queen Rania al-Abdullah,
20:43whose royal influence extends far beyond the palace.
20:46Rania al-Abdullah, $750 million
20:48Queen Rania al-Abdullah, wife of King Abdullah II of Jordan,
20:53proves that being a royal is a lucrative gig,
20:55though perhaps not quite as lucrative as some headlines suggest,
20:58unless your side hustle involves turning sand into gold.
21:01While some sources credit her with a combined net worth of $750 million with her husband,
21:07other reports estimate her personal wealth to be around $35 million.
21:11Let's just say she's comfortable,
21:12even if she's not personally funding Jordan's GDP.
21:15At least she won't be clipping coupons anytime soon.
21:18Born Rania al-Yassin in Kuwait to Palestinian parents on August 31, 1970,
21:23she's not just a pretty face in a tiara.
21:25She's a tech-savvy royal who knows her way around a spreadsheet.
21:28Before marrying into royalty, she worked in marketing at Citibank and later at Apple in Amman.
21:33Talk about a career upgrade.
21:35She met Prince Abdullah bin al-Hussein at a dinner party in January 1993 and married six months later.
21:41It was a whirlwind romance that culminated in a lifetime of royal duties and designer wardrobes.
21:46Since ascending to the throne in 1999,
21:49Queen Rania has become a global icon.
21:51Known for her humanitarian work, advocacy for education and impeccable style,
21:55she champions progressive causes in education, women's empowerment and youth development,
22:00proving that you can wear a tiara and still be a force for good.
22:03The Jordanian monarchy's finances are shrouded in a certain amount of mystery,
22:07but a peek behind the curtain came with the Pandora Papers leak in 2021,
22:12which revealed that King Abdullah and Queen Rania own at least $140 million worth of real estate around the world.
22:18This includes three oceanfront estates in Malibu, California,
22:22as well as properties in London, Ascot and Washington, D.C.,
22:25because even royals need a vacation home or three to escape the rigors of, well, being royal.
22:30However, it is important to consider that around a quarter of Jordan's population lives in poverty,
22:35so perhaps those oceanfront estates come with a side of slightly awkward optics.
22:40She has received numerous awards,
22:41such as a Life Achievement Award from the International Osteoporosis Foundation,
22:45because strong bones are essential for wearing heavy jewels.
22:48In 2008, she received the very first YouTube Visionary Award,
22:53proving she was a trendsetter before TikTok was even a twinkle in Zuckerberg's eye.
22:57Whether she's hobnobbing with world leaders or championing the rights of Jordanian youth,
23:01Queen Rania has carved out a role for herself as a modern, forward-thinking royal,
23:05and while the exact size of her personal fortune may be debated,
23:08one thing is clear.
23:09She's living a life that most of us can only dream of,
23:12all while trying to make the world a slightly better place.
23:14And if that's not a winning combination, what is?
23:17Last, but certainly not least, we have Queen Saleha,
23:20whose royal life is a dazzling spectacle of wealth and power.
23:23Queen Saleha
23:24Queen Saleha, wife of Sultan Hassan al-Bolkir of Brunei,
23:28isn't just married to royalty.
23:30She's practically royalty incarnate,
23:32swimming in a sea of jewels and presiding over a lifestyle
23:34that makes rich look like a euphemism for slightly comfortable.
23:38While pinpointing her individual net worth is trickier than balancing a tiara on a unicycle,
23:42her access to the Sultan's estimated $30 billion fortune ensures a life of unparalleled luxury.
23:48Born Pengirin Anak Saleha on March 27, 1946, she's a first cousin of the Sultan,
23:54proving that in Brunei, keeping it in the family is more than just a suggestion.
23:58After her husband became Sultan, she became the Raja Isteri,
24:02Queen Consort, succeeding her mother-in-law.
24:04Living in Istana Nurul Iman, the Sultan's palace,
24:07Saleha enjoys the perks of a residence boasting 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms,
24:14and a banquet hall that could comfortably seat a small nation.
24:17The palace itself is estimated to be worth $1.4 billion,
24:21decked out with gold, marble, and enough chandeliers to make Liberace blush.
24:25The palace can hold 1,500 people in its mosque,
24:28has a stable for 200 polo ponies,
24:31and even a Renoir painting the Sultan bought for $70 million in the 1980s.
24:36When his friends thought the house might be too over-the-top, he just built another one.
24:40While the Sultan's lavish spending habits,
24:42including a car collection of over 7,000 luxury vehicles,
24:46including 600 Rolls-Royce, are legendary,
24:48Queen Saleha maintains a sense of quiet dignity,
24:51even as she likely has a walk-in closet larger than most apartments.
24:54As polygamy is permitted in Brunei, Saleha remains the queen consort.
24:59It's not all about tiaras and tea parties, though.
25:01Queen Saleha is known for her involvement in charitable causes,
25:05particularly those related to women and children's welfare.
25:08She is also known for her strategic investments.
25:10So, while we may never know the precise extent of Queen Saleha's personal fortune,
25:14it's safe to say she's doing all right.
25:16She embodies a life of unimaginable luxury,
25:19balanced with a sense of royal responsibility.
25:21And as long as Brunei's oil keeps flowing,
25:24Queen Saleha's reign of elegance is unlikely to face any budget cuts anytime soon.
25:29This was all about the richest wives in the world.
25:31Thanks for tuning in.
25:32If you enjoy our content, our newest videos are just a click away.
Be the first to comment