Foreign royal family now owns more of London than King Charles, and the numbers are alarming

Qatari royal family London properties: When most people think of London, they imagine Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, or St James's Palace, eternal icons of British royalty, as per a report. Yet while these great palaces remain, the British Royal Family’s personal foothold in the capital is dwarfed by another royal house, as per the GB News report.

Qatari Royal Family Quietly Amasses London Real Estate Empire

The other expanding royal family is the House of Al-Thani, the ruling royal dynasty of Qatar, who over time have amassed quietly a gigantic real estate empire in London, one that today extends far beyond that of the British monarchy, as per the GB News report.

Throughout the capital, King Charles technically owns over several historic royal residences, yet these houses, like the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace, are owned through the Crown Estate — i.e., they're owned by the sovereign in trust for the country, not as private property, according to the GB News report.

The Al-Thani family, on the other hand, have no such obligation with their growing portfolio in the capital, as per the report.

With a family wealth of approximately £2.4 billion, the net worth is estimated to be around £2.4 billion, with the House’s patriarch, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said to be worth about £1.6 billion alone, according to the GB News report.

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Mayfair’s "Little Doha" Reflects Qatari Dominance

Northwest Mayfair stands out in particular, and has been dubbed "Little Doha", with so many of its buildings owned by Qataris. It is estimated that the family holds approximately a quarter of the community, including reportedly the most expensive private dwelling in Britain, as per the GB News report.

The palatial 44,000 square foot home was valued at £400 million in 2015, as per a Vanity Fair report, which also stated that the late Queen Elizabeth quipped it made Buckingham Palace “look rather dull” in comparison, as reported by GB News.

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More Than Homes: Qatar’s Hold on London’s Landmark Brands

But the Qatari presence doesn't stop with residential properties, the House of Al-Thani has absorbed a number of London’s most famous brands, according to the report. Even the iconic department store Harrods was sold to the Qatar Investment Authority, which is the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, in 2010, as reported by GB News.

Hotels such as The Berkeley, Claridge's, The Connaught, and The Emory also form part of their portfolio, managed under Maybourne Hotels, a company led by well-known Qatari royal Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani, according to the report.

Qatar's influence is also visible in London's skyline, like the Shard, the tallest building in Europe is 95% owned by the state of Qatar, as per the GB News report. They also co-own Canary Wharf and have a 20% stake in Heathrow Airport, which is projected to service 84.2 million travellers in 2025, according to the report. Even Sainsbury's, the British supermarket, has Qatari investment, as the state owns 14.3%, as per the GB News report.

Together, the Al Thani family is believed to own about 1.8 million square feet of real estate in the capital, according to the report.

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FAQs

Why is Buckingham Palace not considered King Charles's private property?
Because it's held through the Crown Estate, which is managed on behalf of the nation, not personally owned, as per the GB News report.

Where is “Little Doha” in London?
It’s a nickname for northwest Mayfair due to the high number of properties there owned by the Qatari royal family, as per the GB News report.