The accounting stated in the article is deceptive in that the monarch has an incentive to seem relatively poor for the public while providing large gifts and stashing money away in accounts and trusts for members of royal family. Yet relatively modest royal wealth seems plausible in light of how the royals so often get caught up in dodgy money-grubbing schemes and dodgy relationships with seedy rich types.
I agree with you that the low numbers being put out are for public consumption and may not represent the true number, if you could financially audit them in completion for their entire history.
Disagree.
The crown is happy it is solvent.
British taxpayers are paying dearly for the crown.
You travel Europe, it is covered by caste ruins.
Many kings went bankrupt! So are many noblemen, dukes, barons etc.
There are huge expenses and little comparable income.
It is hard to maintain high life!