Bentleys, booze and bags: The not-so-secret spending habits of Queen Elizabeth II

Despite being worth around NZ$699 million, employees are notoriously poorly paid - hourly pay is frequently below London's minimum wage.
Despite being worth around NZ$699 million, employees are notoriously poorly paid - hourly pay is frequently below London's minimum wage. Photo credit: AAP.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has a known penchant for dogs, stamps and equestrianism - and, as revealed in 2001, an ATM can be found in the realms of Buckingham Palace, alongside two corgis and a wandering Prince Philip.

There's a clear disparity between the presence of this ATM and the fact that, unlike mere mortals beyond the Palace walls, the Queen never carries cash. This disparity is arguably symbolic of the monarch's puzzling relationship with money, News.com.au reports. 

While the Queen is said to be worth around a cool NZ$699 million, employees of Buckingham Palace are notoriously poorly paid - with hourly pay frequently sitting below London's minimum wage of £9.15 (NZ$17.75).

Despite the meagre salaries of her loyal staff, the monarch is known to splash her cash when it comes to other indulgences.

The Queen is a known lover of Launer purses. Launer, which maintains a "British legacy" in luxury leather goods, retails its classic handbags for approximately NZ$3000.

The company claims that the Queen is a devotee of the calf leather Traviata style, which retails for NZ$3500. Her Majesty's collection, according to the Telegraph, spans over 200 bags.

The Queen pictured with a Launer handbag at the  75th Anniversary of the D-Day landings at Southsea Common, on Wednesday June 5.
The Queen pictured with a Launer handbag at the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day landings at Southsea Common, on Wednesday June 5. Photo credit: AAP/Jeff J Mitchell.

If the Queen ever sports a scarf, it is almost undoubtedly a silk Hermès number, retailing for around NZ$741.

While it's difficult to fathom the sheer size of Her Majesty's wardrobe, Vogue reports that Gucci loafers, custom Rachel Trevor-Morgan hats (and a desperate shortage of pants) can be found within the depths of her closet.

Queen Elizabeth is known to indulge in a luxury vehicle or two - or an entire fleet. In 2018 HotCars reported that the Queen's car collection easily sits in excess of £10 million, with rare Rolls Royce models, Bentleys and Mercedes among them.

While the average Joe will scout the supermarket for the cheapest bottle of wine with the highest alcohol percentage, Her Majesty has a hankering for Chateau Rothschild-Lafite 1990 red wine, which will set you back by about NZ$2000, reports News.com.au.

Although the Queen is said to have 20 chefs at her disposable, she is reportedly a frugal foodie. When she's not attending state banquets and formal dinners, the Telegraph reports that no slice of cake is left behind, and cereal is well-stored to prevent staleness.

Among her London real estate, red wine receipts and hardly repeated ensembles, it's clear that the Queen has expensive taste. However, it does beg the question as to why she is so stingy with staff salaries - and why an ATM is a requirement in her royal residence.

Newshub.