TL;DR The Al Thani family of Qatar has surpassed King Charles III in private London property ownership, controlling around £10 billion worth of assets including The Shard, Canary Wharf, Harrods, and major properties in Mayfair, vastly exceeding the King’s personal holdings, most of which are tied up in public trusts.
What Happened
- Reports from August to October 2025 confirm that Qatar’s royal family privately owns more property in London than King Charles III.
- The Al Thani family controls roughly 1.8 million square feet of London real estate valued at about £10 billion.
- Their holdings include prime locations in Mayfair (dubbed “Little Doha”), Harrods, The Shard (95% stake), Canary Wharf, Heathrow Airport (20%), and a 14.3% stake in Sainsbury’s.
Context and Background
- King Charles’s major London residences, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Kensington Palace are part of the Crown Estate, a public trust owned “in right of the Crown,” not his personal property.
- His personal wealth includes privately owned estates such as Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House, which are far smaller in value compared to the Qatari holdings.
- The Al Thani family’s investments are managed largely through the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), with total UK investments exceeding £90 billion.
Why It Matters
- The report underscores growing foreign control in London’s property market, especially by Gulf wealth.
- Qatar’s sovereign and royal investment structures blur state and private wealth lines.
- Critics highlight national security and cultural concerns over key UK assets being foreign-owned.
- London continues to serve as a preferred safe haven for global royal and sovereign investments.