Queen slips to 12th place in list of world's richest monarchs

The Queen is now the world's 12th richest monarch after slipping one place in the royal rich list since last year, new figures show.

But her fall in the league table is not down to the credit crunch - in fact her estimated fortune has gone up from £302million to £349million.

Her wealth has simply not kept pace with the amazing affluence of other crowned heads, according to Forbes Magazine's annual survey.

Her net worth is a mere fraction of what the world's wealthiest monarch has at his disposal.

The King of Thailand's £18.79billion hoard puts him comfortably at the top of the heap.

King Bhumibol Adulyade, 80 - the world's longest-reigning monarch - bumped the Sultan of Brunei out of first place. Estimates of the Thai king's fortune rose seven-fold since last year due to increased transparency over his holdings.

The Sultan of Brunei - one of only two rulers to see their wealth fall during the year - is now in fourth place with an estimated fortune of £10.74billion.

Also moving ahead of him is Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, in second place with £12.35billion, and King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, in third place with £11.27billion.

Largesse: Thai King Bhumibol Adulyade, now the world's richest monarch, presents the Queen with gifts on a 1996 state visit

King Mohammed VI of Morocco saw his fortune  plummet to £805.4m from £1billion last year following a serious drought.

As a whole the monarchs grew richer, seeing their collective wealth increase to £69.26billion from £49billion last year.

Middle Eastern royals have done particularly well during the past 12 months with the price of oil soaring.

Moneyed: Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has overtaken the Sultan of Brunei, right

The richest royals

1. King Bhumibol Adulyade of Thailand (£18.79bn)

2. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (£12.35bn)

3. King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia (£11.27bn)

4. Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei (£10.74bn)

5. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai (£9.66bn)

6. Prince Hans-Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein of Liechtenstein (£2.68bn)

7. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar (£1.07bn)

8. King Mohammed IV of Morocco (£805.4m)

9. Prince Albert II of Monaco (£751.7m)

10. Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman (£590.1m)

11. Prince Karim Aga Khan (£536.9m)

12. Queen Elizabeth II (£349m)

13. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah of Kuwait (£268m)

14. Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgardof the Netherlands (£161m)

15. King Mswati III of Swaziland (£107.4m)