The richest monarchs in the world are mostly descendants of ancient rulers who were wealthy and influential. Some of these monarchs have used their family influence to venture into many businesses or, using their knowledge and networking, to build empires.

Here are the richest monarchs in the world, as ranked by “The Indian Express.”

Maha Vajiralongkorn is the king of Thailand and the richest monarch in the world. He was born on 28 July 1952. He started school in 1956 at Dusit Palace and then went to the United Kingdom to complete his secondary school education.

In 1972, he enrolled in the Royal Military College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of New South Wales and military training. For his second bachelor’s degree, Maha studied law at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University; he graduated in 1982.

Maha Vajiralongkorn has been the Crown Prince since 1972 and took over the throne in 2016 after the passing of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He has gained wealth from investment, real estate, and inheritance. His current net worth is 43 billion dollars.

Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nathan is the President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi. He was born on 11 March 1961. He attended school in Abu Dhabi and then joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, graduating in 1979.