The Queen owns a massive Primark – and she’s got a stake in a nearby McDonald’s too
THE Queen owns her very own branch of McDonald’s, as well as a giant Primark and a Marks & Spencer store.
The 93-year-old has a massive property portfolio, including racecourses, forests and even a wind farm, as well as owning all the swans in the UK.
Among her vast empire is the Banbury Gateway Shopping Park, in Oxfordshire, which sits on land belonging to The Crown Estate.
Which means the Queen is technically the owner of the McDonald’s on the site, as well as all the other shops and restaurants, including a giant Primark and a Starbucks.
The retail park's website says: “Get your fashion-fix at flagship stores such as Next, M&S, Primark and River Island.”
The Crown Estate manages land and property on behalf of the Queen, but she doesn’t personally own it.
The Crown Estate portfolio – estimated to be worth £14 billion - belongs to the Sovereign, and will be passed down to Prince Charles when he becomes king.
All the money raised from the various Crown Estate sites – including the McDonald’s – goes to the Treasury, and not to the Queen’s coffers.
The fast food chain opened at the Banbury retail park in 2015, but it’s not the first one the monarch has owned.
She was previously the proud owner of another McDonald’s drive-through at Slough’s Bath Road Retail Park, although The Crown Estate sold off the land several years ago for £177 million.
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