Key Points:
The King of Eswatini, Mswati III, lives a life of extreme luxury with 15 wives, 30 children, and immense royal wealth.
Despite the king’s riches, over half of Eswatini’s population lives in poverty, with high unemployment and income inequality.
King Mswati’s reign faces global criticism for traditional practices like the Reed Dance.
A king’s extravagant life often surpasses the mere imagination of a common man — a life where grandeur and luxury are intertwined. This often leads to an uncomplicated living where one is no longer concerned about paying taxes, bills, or even rent.
When a person is asked to think of a rich king, what is the first name that crosses our mind? Probably, the King of the United Kingdom, Charles III. There are several monarchs in the world whose royal lives, traditional practices, and long lineage of leadership can never fail to surprise a common man’s imagination. Although, a rich king or monarch does not always mean that their country also experiences the same privileges.
A video of an African king has recently gone viral on social media for his ultra-affluent lifestyle with his numerous wives, children, and servants. The video footage was of Eswatini’s King Mswati III. His entrance created a tremor over the internet as he stepped out of his private jet at the Abu Dhabi Airport in the United Arab Emirates on July 10, 2025. The purpose of his visit to the UAE was to discuss economic agreements.
King Mswati III is the leader of the Swazi royal family and one of the last remaining monarchs of the Eswatini kingdom. His luxurious lifestyle as a monarch has garnered widespread attention among netizens because of his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates.
King Mswati III made a grand entrance at the airport. His team of assistants and servants was so large that airport security had to shut down three terminals. Many viewers found the lifestyle of the king quite amusing. They even started comparing his expensive lifestyle to his country’s financial position. Here are ten shocking facts about the last remaining monarch of the African continent.
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When he was crowned as the king of Eswatini on 25 April 1986, he was 18 years old. This made him the youngest monarch to be crowned at the time in the world.
During his visit to negotiate trade agreements with the UAE, he was reportedly accompanied by his numerous wives, children, and aides. According to reports, the king landed with his 15 wives, 30 children, and nearly 100 aides. Under Swazi law, the first two wives of the king were chosen for him by the national councillors. His predecessor and father, King Sobhuza II, reportedly had around 70 wives and 210 children.
There is a Swazi tradition known as the Reed Dance or Umhlanga, where the king selects his bride every year. Tens of thousands of unmarried women participate in this eight-day event, which was first started by King Sobhuza II in the 1940s. This tradition has attracted widespread criticism for its unconventional and orthodox norms. King Mswati III of Swaziland selected his 14th wife in 2024. The 57-year-old king married 19-year-old Siphele Mashwama after the annual dance ceremony.
Although the traditional custom of the Reed Dance is celebrated by many under the Swazi regime, one woman named Tintswalo Ngobeni, who was the sixth wife of King Mswati, fled to Britain after alleged physical and emotional abuse. Ngobeni is an active critic of the regressive rule of Mswati. With no liberty or freedom to make their own decisions, she stated that the only thing the wives are free to do is go to America once a year. She further stated that the king gives his wives a “shopping allowance.”
According to Pulse, King Mswati III ranks fourth among the richest kings of the African continent. Reports estimate his net worth at over US $300 million. Back in 2014, Forbes placed him among the “Top 5 Richest African Kings,” with a net worth of $50 million.
The millionaire monarch was gifted a DC-9 twin-engine aircraft for his 44th birthday by an anonymous person. The private jet was gifted for the king’s convenience and for the travel of his wives and children.
King Mswati’s net worth and royal wealth make him one of the richest monarchs in the world. However, the Kingdom of Eswatini, which has a population of nearly 1.2 million people, had an estimated GDP of $3,898 in 2024. According to the World Bank, a major concern in the nation is unemployment. In 2023, 56% of the youth between the ages of 15–25 were reportedly unemployed.
The Kingdom of Eswatini also faces major challenges of poverty despite the royal riches of its king. The World Bank cited in April 2025 that 55% of the population lives on $4.25 a day. Eswatini has the seventh-largest income inequality in the world, with nearly 60% of its rural population living below the national poverty line.
Among the numerous criticisms faced by the Swazi rule under King Mswati, one of the most talked-about scandals is the LaMahlangu controversy. Zena Mahlangu was 18 years old when she was kidnapped by two men. Her mother reported her abduction to the police and later found out that her daughter was at the Ludzidzini Royal Village — the home of the royal Reed Dance ceremony. She was taken there to become the next wife of King Mswati.
The name of the Kingdom of Eswatini was changed by King Mswati to mark the country’s 50 years of independence from colonial rule. The name was changed from Swaziland to Eswatini. [Rh/VS]
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