Queen Elizabeth might have lost close to $20 to $25 million this year because of the closures of palace summer tours amid the coronavirus pandemic. But the monarch is still earning big bucks via The Crown Estate, which oversees her franchise of McDonald's and a bustling Primark Shopping Center, the home of many name brands.
According to Daily Mirror, the Queen's McDonald's outlet is located in Banbury Gateway Shopping Park, some 80 miles outside of London. It's a branch fit for royalty as the seats are apparently covered in leather, with some Eames chairs, free Wi-Fi, tablets and tables with phone chargers, laminated floors, a digital menu board and actual table service.
It's not the first McDonald's outlet for The Crown Estate as Queen Elizabeth also owned a franchise in Slough. However, that land was sold in 2016 for about $223 million (£177 million).
The current McDonald's franchise stands next to Primark, one of U.K.'s largest shopping centers. The Crown Estate also owns the land where this commercial site is located and inside it are shops like Marks & Spencer, Starbucks and other familiar and lucrative fashion brands.
However, the royals haven't been frequent visitors to this shopping and dining district. According to Today, the last time Queen Elizabeth was seen in the Banbury commercial site was in 2008. A representative of the shopping park said that the royals don't like go out of their way to dine at a McDonald's. They don't also come to shopping center to check how business is doing.
Profits from these ventures are not considered private funds for Queen Elizabeth. The Crown Estate Act of 1961 stipulates that the Queen has no authority to do business dealings for these commercial properties, though it is technically overseen by the royals and their staff.
The Queen also owns a billionaire's bank, Coutts, which has a specific private ATM at the Buckingham Palace. Most clients of the bank are members of the royal family, as well as London's aristocratic families.
The Crown Estate is managed by a board for the reigning monarch, who is currently Queen Elizabeth. In due time, it will also go to Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George, who are all destined to be kings.
The managers of The Crown Estate make sure that these assets' values improve and appreciate but the profits actually go to the Treasury. Then, 15 percent of the profits are coursed through the Sovereign Grant, which funds the royal family's official engagements and trips.
