Take your ordinary life and make it ROYAL!
This week, Queensland welcomed royalty, with Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla.
So, apart from a stiff upper lip and a perfected royal wave, what does it take to live like a royal? We’ve done the research and with some careful financial planning, we have all the tips for you to take your ordinary life and make it royal.
- Buy a title
Mr and Mrs Smith will simply not cut it in royal circles, so to start your royal lifestyle, you will need to buy a title. Choose from Duke and Duchess, Earl, Count and Countess, Viscount and Viscountess, Baron and Baroness, Lord and Lady or Sir and Dame. A royal title could set you back anywhere from $350 to $2,500.
- Move to a castle
Life as a royal is not complete unless the newly titled royal has their castle. Last year, real estate experts Domain shared eight castles you could buy around the world for less than $1 million. On the list was a 16th Century castle in Scotland for a teeny tiny $210,000. You’ll need to be prepared for some renovations given that the castle is currently without a roof, but a castle it is, and it’s available for purchase at a steal.
- Hire a butler
No castle is complete without the obligatory butler. Question and answer site Quora suggest a live-in butler will set you back around $600 – $900 a week. We’re going to assume your butler can live in, given your primary residence is now a CASTLE (see number 2).
- Take up polo
Polo – all the royals are doing it. Horse life is royal life and polo is the sport of choice. Private polo lessons are around $150 per hour, plus investment in all the required equipment, Polo association memberships and pony lease fees. Set a polo budget for at least $15,000 a year.
- Change your holiday destination
Royals crave privacy (and luxury). Say farewell to drinking Bintangs in Bali – royalty do R&R differently. Skiing (not snowboarding) in the Swiss Alps is a winter favourite and young Royals William and Kate frequent ultra-luxury, paparazzi-free Caribbean island Mustique. Fly to Mustique Island, St Vincent and the Grenadines from Brisbane for just under $10,000 return. Stay like the royalty you now are at David Bowie’s seven bedroom villa, Mandalay, for an easy $50,000. Or, stay at one of the 90 holiday homes on the island for as little as $10,000 a week.
- Up your fashion stakes
Men – build your relationship with your tailor and invest in tails and tweed. Ladies – befriend a milliner, as royalty spells hoards of hats. Conservative is the new black and oversized dark sunglasses are a must when paparazzi come calling. Although designer labels are essential to your new royal look, young royal Kate Middleton is often spotted in budget-friendly threads by UK brands Top Shop and TK Max. Even with these lower-end exceptions, expect to maintain a royal fashion budget of at least $150,000 per year.
- Get a hold of a corgi
The canine corgi companion is a must-have accessory for garden walks and hunting adventures. A purebred corgi will set you back between $AU600 and $AU1000, plus the ongoing royal diet your precious pup will require.
The sum-up – how much do I need to revel in royalty?
Aside from your few initial one-off purchases (your title and your pooch), our estimate is you’ll need to budget for around $500,000 to get you started on your first royal year. Don’t panic – it looks like a lot, but you will own a freehold (roofless) castle and holiday with the rich and the famous in the Caribbean.
How can you get $500,000? Well, by saving, of course. If you aim to save a cool $25,000 per annum, in 20 years your royal dreams could come true.
Want to get there faster, your Royal Highness? Speak to our team of expert financial advisers about creating an investment portfolio that can take your royal ambitions to lofty new heights.
