Rishi Sunak's spouse, Akshata Murty, is an affluent software heiress who is even wealthier than the King and Queen of the British Royal Family.
After he becomes UK Prime Minister following the resignation of Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak's personal life has become a topic of interest to the public.
Who is Rishi Sunak's wife?
One of India's wealthiest individuals, N. R. Narayana Murthy is Akshata Murty's father and Rishi Sunak's father-in-law. On his official web page, the new UK PM claims that he and Murty first crossed paths in California while pursuing an MBA at Stanford University. In 2009, they got married in a private ceremony in Bangalore, India.
According to The Mirror, Murty abandoned a solid career in finance to chase her dream of being a fashion designer. Speaking of her profession, Murty, claimed in an interview with The Guardian that her mother, a ‘no-nonsense engineer’, was perplexed by her passion for fashion and wondered why she 'would spend so much time creating different outfits from my wardrobe.'
How does Rishi Sunak's wife earn money?
According to The Guardian, Sunak will be the first non-White prime minister of Britain, making him the nation's youngest leader in 200 years. He will be one of the wealthiest persons to hold a position of power in politics, partly because of his wife Murty.
The publication claims that Murty owns a $715 million (or 0.93%) interest in her father's Indian software business, Infosys. The Sunday Times Rich List, a yearly list of the richest individuals in Britain, estimates the couple's net worth at $830 million, which makes up the majority of their total assets.
Moreover, she and Sunak are listed as directors of Catamaran Ventures in the UK, a venture capital business that was established by her father. Murty is also registered on Companies House as the director of Digme Fitness, a posh gym franchise that struggled during the Covid-19 outbreak and ultimately went into administration.
Even Queen Elizabeth II wasn't as wealthy as the Sunday Times estimated the late ruler's pre-death net worth to be £370 million. And Sunak's ascent to the top was almost blocked by his super-rich standing.
Sunak's wife doesn't have to pay tax
According to the Express, Murty is entitled a tax status in the UK that allowed her to avoid paying taxes on her income from abroad lawfully. The entire tax burden on UK taxpayers had reached its greatest point since the 1940s thanks to Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time.
People have recently questioned her tax arrangements, so she clarified on Twitter:
‘In recent days, people have asked questions about my tax arrangements: to be clear, I have paid tax in this country on my UK income and international tax on my international income. This arrangement is entirely legal and how many non-domiciled people are taxed in the UK. But it has become clear that many do not feel it is compatible with my husband’s role as Chancellor’.
The 42-year-old fashion designer concluded that she will 'no longer be claiming' the right for tax avoidance:
‘I understand and appreciate the British sense of fairness and I do not wish my tax status to be a distraction for my husband or to affect my family. For this reason, I will no longer be claiming the remittance basis for tax.'
Read more:
⋙ Rishi Sunak: Everything you need to know about the new PM's family
