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BBC News Online: UK

Monday, 6 December, 1999, 09:02 GMT

Ecclestone 'richer than the Queen'

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone is the richest person in the UK, ahead of the Queen, according to an international report.

The poll by EuroBusiness Magazine says the UK has more multi-millionaires than any other country in Europe.

Mr Ecclestone, 69, tops the lists of rich Brits with Ł2.4bn, followed by the Queen on Ł2bn.

The survey indicates that of the 400 richest people in Europe, 86 come from the UK, 73 from France and 56 from Germany.

Pauper

The richest person in Europe emerged as France's Liliane Bettencourt, who runs the L'Oreal cosmetic company and has a personal fortune of Ł9.2bn.

Theo Albrecht, head of the German supermarket chain Aldi, came second with Ł7.2 bn.

Mr Ecclestone languishes in 48th position. The Queen is 60th.

Other Britons of note on the list include Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin empire, who came out the sixth-richest Briton and the 84th-richest European with Ł1.4bn.

David Sainsbury, who owns about 17% of the Sainsbury supermarket group, is 100th-richest European with a fortune of Ł1.3bn.

Further down the list is the Prince of Wales at 192 with Ł573.7m and politician Michael Heseltine at 235 with Ł442m.

Musicians Tom Jones, Sir Paul McCartney and Andrew Lloyd-Webber are also ranked among the 400.

Shopkeeper

The UK's Royal Family ranks third in Europe with Ł2.7bn, against the Liechtenstein family with Ł3.2bn and the Luxembourg family with Ł3bn.

According to the magazine the easiest way to make a billion is as a shopkeeper, with 26 euro-billionaire retailers, ahead of 22 banking and 13 media billionaires.

Men far outnumber women in personal wealth, with 358 men against only 42 women. Of the 400, 224 had inherited their wealth while 176 were self-made millionaires.

EuroBusiness warned that some rich people might not be included because the extent of their wealth is not known.

Related to this story:
Bernie Ecclestone, the man behind Formula One (30 Jun 99 | UK)
Gates becomes first man to top $100bn (13 Apr 99 | Your Money)
Internet puts businessmen on rich list (24 Sep 99 | Americas)
Arab rulers top 'rich list' (22 Jun 99 | Middle East)
Rich getting richer and younger (11 Apr 99 | UK)

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