Princess Elisabeth, heir to Belgian throne, signing up for military school

Country: Qatar

In June 2013, the Emir of Qatar abdicated in favour of Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, his son. Poor health was the main reason for Hamad’s stepping down.

The former Emir, who now calls himself ‘His Highness the Father Emir’, rose to power in 1995 after a palace coup. He was named in the Panama Papers as the owner of Afrodille SA, which had a bank account in Luxembourg and shares in two South African companies.

Worth: The Qatari royals are worth $2.4 billion. The money comes from Qatar Investment Authority, which manages oil and gas in the country as well as Al Jazeera news network. The family owns properties in London as well, which are estimated to be more than what the British monarchy own.

(Image: Wikipedia)

Country: Belgium

In July 2013, citing health reasons, the Belgian king abdicated in favour of his son Philippe. Albert II ruled from 1993 and courted controversy in 2012 when during his Christmas speech he compared modern “populist movements” to those of the 1930s. The fight between the Flemish Dutch speakers and French-speaking Walloons in Belgium also contributed to the king’s stress.

Albert’s personal life was more turbulent as he acknowledged fathering an illegitimate child.

Worth: The Belgian royals are worth 10.4 million euros. Albert owns a luxury yacht called the Alpa, which costs 4.6 million euros. The Technema 90 boat is named after Albert and his wife, Queen Paola.

(Image: monarchie.be)

Country: Netherlands

In April 2013, the Dutch queen abdicated in favour of her son Willem-Alexander. Beatrix stepped down after 33 years on the throne saying she wanted to be responsible and hand the nation to the next generation. Her rule saw the formation of Aruba as a separate nation.

Worth: The Dutch royals are worth 230 million euros. This is thanks to their investment in oil company Shell where they have a stake. They also have four private homes and a villa in Tuscany.

(Image: Wikipedia)