6 Richest Royal Families In India With Crazy Fortune

India has been a home of rich history and culture and also to some of the most influential and luxurious royal families of all time. These families who once ruled over the vast landscape with power and wealth, continue to be in the line in modern times too. 

Even after the end of monarchy post independence, these royal families have managed to preserve their wealth and property, by adapting and stepping into modern business, industries, and sectors. 

Here we’ll discuss some of the Richest Royal Families In India with their fortunes. 

6 Richest Royal Families In India 

There are several richest royal families in India, however, we’ll discuss some of the top ones among them along with their net worth. 

1. Royal Family of Jodhpur 

It’s a pretty known fact that Jodhpur was once ruled by the Rathore family, and the members of its family still live there. Currently, Maharaj Gaj Singh II is the nominal or titular head of the Jodhpur, and lives with his family in the Umaid Bhawan, which is among the largest private residences in the world. 

• Not only this, the Mehrangarh Fort is also one of them. 
• The primary source of income of the family is the hospitality industry.
• The net worth of the family is Rs.22,400 crore.
• The Umaid Bhawan is divided into three parts, one being the residential part where the royal family resides, second one is the hotel which is managed and maintained in a partnership with Taj Hotels with the family. And the third part of the Bhawan is converted into a museum, which is visited by many tourists. 
• As of now, Yuvraj Shivraj Singh, son of Gaj Singh, handles most of the business of the family and is the heir of the total wealth of the family. 
• Apart from running Umaid Bhawan, he also runs palaces like Sardar Samand and Bal Samand. 
• Umaid Bhawan is spreaded over 11 hectares, and has 347 rooms, 4 tennis courts, and is the place where the famous actress Priyanka Chopra tied the knot with international actor and singer Nick Jones. 

2. Royal Family of Jaipur 

The family is said to be the last descendants of the Rajput line, called Kachhwaha, and they also claim their ancestry from Kush, the son of Lord Ram. 

The last nominal or titular head of the family was Bhawani Singh, who died in April 2011, at the age of 79. Bhawani Singh adopted his only daughter Diya Kumari’s son, Padmanabh Singh, and appointed him as the Maharaja of Jaipur as he has no son to appoint as his heir. 

• Bhawani Singh was also a Lieutenant Colonel and Brigadier in the Indian Army from the time span of 1951 – to 1975. 
• Padmanabh Singh, who is now the Maharaja of Jaipur, is also a national level polo player. 
• The family’s primary source of income is the hospitality industry. 
• The net worth of the family is Rs.20,000 crore 
• Taj Hotel runs and manages the Rambagh Palace of Jaipur like a hotel. 
• Not only this, Padmanabh Singh has also partnered with Airbnb, and with that has put up a suite in Jaipur. This all adds to the income of the family. 
• After setting up the suite, the place is opened for the tourists to come and explore the taste and touch of royal life. 
• The money earned, revenue generated are given to the Diya Kumari’s Foundation. 

3. Gaekwads of Baroda 

Gaekwads originally hailing from Pune, have held power in Baroda (now Vadodara) since the 18th century. The family has been headed by Samarjitsinh Gaekwad since 2012, and owns a property worth Rs.20,000 crore. 

• The primary source of income for the family is real estate business and politics. 
• Samarjitsinh owns Laxmi Vilas Palace, which is among the largest private residences in the world. 
• The palace is spreaded over 3,04,92,000 sq.ft and was built by Sayajirao Gaekwad in 1890.

• The palace has a golf course too and its beauty is enhanced by venetian mosaic floor. 
• By becoming the royal head, he also inherited various assets like gold and silver royal jewelry and multiple paintings by Raja Ravi Verma. 
• Another source of income for the family is managing temple trusts of 17 temples in Gujarat and Banaras. 
• Apart from this, Samarjitsinh also took part in politics, however, has not been in the politics line since 2017. 
• He also played as the cricketer in the Ranji Trophy of his state. 
• Laxmi Palace also became a place of film shooting too, films like Sardar Gabbar Singh, Prem Rog, Dil HI Toh Hai, have been shot at this place. 

4. Royals of Mewar 

Mewar’s history is rich with the rulership of great leaders, like Maharana Pratap. The descendants of Maharana Pratap family still live in Udaipur and the present royal head of the Mewar Dynasty is Arvind Singh Mewar, who is the 76th head, nominal or the custodian of the House of Mewar.

• Apart from being the head of the royal family, Arvind Singh Mewar is also a successful businessman and runs the HRH Group of hotels, under which over 10 hotels operate. 
• The family’s main source of income comes from the Tourism and Hospitality industry. 
• Few of the properties have been leased out like the Fateh Prakash Palace and the Lake Palace to Taj Group of Hotels for the proper management. 
• The palace in Udaipur where the king lives with his wife is also open for the tourists to visit and explore. 
• The family’s net worth is Rs. 10,000 crore as of now.
• Apart from this, the family owns and operates various heritage resorts, trusts, charitable institutions, and hotels across the city. 

5. Wadiyar Dynasty 

The history of Wadiyar Dynasty dates back to the Yaduvanshi line of Lord Krishna. The Wadiyar Dynasty once ruled the kingdom of Mysore. The family is headed by Yaduveer Krishnadutta Chamaraj Wadiyar, but he is not the direct heir of the family. 

According to history a curse was given to the Wadiyar dynasty in 1612 by Queen Alamelamma of Vijaynagar that Mysore kings will never have any children, as they captured the kingdom and the throne of the place.

The curse proved to be true for the family. 

• The head and his uncle Srikantadatta Wadiyar died in 2013, and couldn’t name an heir for the family as he didn’t have any children, and thus his wife, Rajmata adopted Yaduveer as their son, and turned him into the king. 
• The family’s main source of income comes from the hospitality industry and silk business. 
• The Royal Silk of Mysore was started by Srikantadatta, and it remains as one of the major sources of income for the family. 
• Yaduveer Wadiyar, currently works on promoting and developing tourism and infrastructure in Mysore. He holds a degree in English literature and commerce. 
• They also earn a part of money by renting their palace grounds for functions and marriages in Bangalore. 
• The family’s net worth is Rs.10,000 crore as of now. 

6. Alsisar Royal Family 

Another royal family residing in Rajasthan. This royal family is considered to be part of the kingdom of Khetri. The royal family is headed by HH Abhimanyu Singh, and is the sixteenth successor or heir of the royal family. 

• The history of the palace dates back to 1757, when the first generation of Alsisar, Thakur Samarth Singhji captured the fort. 
• The Alsisar group of hotels is now run by the 8th generation of the family. 
• It has a net worth of Rs.3,000 crore. 
• The Alsisar family manages and operates various hotels on their properties. 
• The family also owns grand palaces in Ranthambore and Jaipur. 
• Abhimanyu Singh is also known as the Party Prince of India, as he is also a co-owner of India’s EDM festival and Magnetic Fields.
• The Alsisar Mahal is among the most coveted hotel destinations in India. 

Summing Up 

These royal families with their rich fortunes and extraordinary legacies and business continue to capture the attention of many. These families have preserved their heritage and culture while adapting to the modern times. From hotels, to real estate, to political engagement, these royal families signify a mix of history and modern success.