Inside lavish life of Rishi Sunak and billionaire wife who’s richer than the Queen

Rishi Sunak is the multimillionaire Chancellor known as one of politic’s ‘rising stars’. Here’s everything you need to know about his life, from his multiple homes, private school eduction and chances of becoming Prime Minister

The role of Chancellor is one of the most important positions in British politics – and is currently held by ‘rising star’ Rishi Sunak.

At only 41, multi-millionaire ‘Dishy RishI’, as he’s sometimes known, lives a lavish lifestyle — owning several homes with his mega-rich wife.

Sunak took the role of Chancellor after Sajid Javid, now the health secretary, fell out with prime minister Boris Johnson’s team.

He became Chancellor in February 2020 as the country was gripped by the Covid-19 pandemic.

So who is the man behind the furlough scheme and Eat Out to Help Out?

Rishi Sunak’s wife and family

Sunak married Akshata Murthy – reported to be richer than the Queen’ – in 2009 and the two met when they were studying at the prestigious Stanford Business School.

Murthy is the daughter of N.R. Narayana Murthy, who is the sixth richest man in India and is estimated to be worth around £3.1 billion.

Akshata Murthy is herself a fashion entrepreneur, running Akshata Designs.

Sunak himself is estimated to be worth around £200million and recently built a £400,000 leisure complex at his £2 million Yorkshire mansion.

The couple are believed to own at least four properties and their main residence, a five-bedroom mews house in Kensington, is believed to be worth around £7 million.

They have two children.

Will Rishi Sunak become prime minister?

Chancellors are often the public face of many unpopular policies – such as how George Osborne became the architect of swingeing government cuts in the 2010s.

But several Chancellors have gone on to become prime minister, just ask the likes of Gordon Brown, Jim Callaghan, Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill.

Many pundits regard Boris Johnson’s position in No10 as stable, having won a solid election victory in 2019, but Sunak remains a front-runner to succeed him.

He currently tops bookies predictions as the next conservative Prime Minister.

However, it is currently unclear what Sunak’s ambitions are – or how the policies in his 2021 Budget will be received by the country.

Political career

Sunak only entered the House of Commons in 2015, which makes his swift rise to the second biggest job in British politics even more noteworthy.

As MP for the Richmond constituency in North Yorkshire, he took over from former leader of the opposition William Hague.

He was later a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee and supported the UK leaving the European Union during the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Under Theresa May’s government, he landed his first junior ministerial role as the parliamentary under-secretary of state for local government.

Considered a loyal minister to the current prime minister, it is widely believed he was put in place as chief secretary to the Treasury in 2019 to ‘keep an eye’ on then Chancellor Javid.

He has become known for his often laid-back appearance in public, choosing hoodies over a shirt and tie when photographed working from home.

Rishi Sunak’s private education

Sunak is only 41-years-old, which is still relatively young in the political game.

He was born in Southampton in 1980, where his father was a GP and his mother ran a local pharmacy, and attended the exclusive private school Winchester College.

He graduated from Lincoln College, Oxford in 2001 with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, before moving on to Goldman Sachs until 2004, where he joined hedge fund The Children’s Investment Fund Management.

He then co-founded an investment firm.

Of his British identity and gorwing up, he told the BBC : “In terms of cultural upbringing, I’d be at the temple at the weekend – I’m a Hindu – but I’d also be at [Southampton Football Club] the Saints game as well on a Saturday – you do everything, you do both.”