While there is no shortage of excellent TV out there, we cannot deny that there has been a Succession-shaped hole since the HBO Max series came to a suitably dramatic ending in 2023. Thankfully, Netflix’s latest big-budget limited series is set to lure us in hook, line and sinker.
House of Guinness is a deep dive into Ireland’s most powerful family, with four siblings tasked with making their sprawling beer empire bigger and more powerful in the wake of their father’s death. The eight-part series makes for captivating viewing, but there’s still plenty to learn about the real-life Guinness family–including just how much money the brood is worth nowadays (spoilers: it’s a lot).
Holding a regular spot on The Sunday Times Rich List, the Guinness family (who have now ascended into the ranks of British aristocracy) have established them not only as one of the richest families in Ireland, but amongst the wealthiest dynasties in the world.
What is the Guinness family’s net worth?
According to the most recent Sunday Times Rich List, the Guinness family stands proudly as the 186th richest family in the UK, with an amassed wealth of £856 million (or approximately $1.15 billion). That’s a lot of pints.
While a lot of their substantial fortune comes from the beer empire, their portfolio of assets has diversified far more than glasses of the black stuff.
According to a 2017 article by the Irish Independent, property is a significant chunk of their wealth.
The family sold many of their Irish mansions, including Iveagh House, which was donated to the state in the 1930s; Ashford Castle, which is now a luxury hotel in Co Mayo; and the Farmleigh mansion in the Phoenix Park.
Early generations of the Guinness family also invested large sums into Canadian land (they reportedly built the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver in order to provide better access to land in West Vancouver, which the family owned).
The family now own 4,000 acres of land in Vancouver, with the development firm British Pacific Properties acting as caretakers for their Canadian interests.
Farming is another big earner for the Guinness family. Arthur Edward Rory Guinness, or Ned, owns (and lives on) the 22,500-acre Elveden estate in Suffolk. The land is used to rear livestock and grow crops (Elveden Hall is thought to grow around 10 per cent of the UK’s onions).
A hedge fund company also looks after other funds to ensure they remain resilient to changes in stock value.
Who is the current head of the Guinness family?
The aforementioned Arthur Edward “Ned” Rory Guinness, better known by the title the Earl of Iveagh, is the current head of the Guinness family. The 56-year-old has two sons, with 22-year-old Arthur set to inherit the Earl of Iveagh title upon his father’s death.
Does the Guinness family still own Guinness?
Not in its entirety. In 1986, Guinness merged with a British drinks brand, Grand Metropolitan, to form a new company titled Diageo. While Diageo now owns Guinness in addition to other drinks brands, the Guinness family now hold a stake in Diageo. In 2017, this stake was thought to be worth around £200 million (or approximately $268.7 million).
