PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak, whose family's wealth surpasses that of King Charles III, has remarked that he experienced a modest upbringing, devoid of a "lots of things" as Sky TV, when questioned about his connection to challenges faced by ordinary individuals.
The 44-year-old, who is Britain's first prime minister of Indian origin and a son of a doctor and pharmacist, is the wealthiest premier in the country's history, thanks to his prior career in financial services and the substantial family fortune of his wife, whose father Narayana Murthy established the Indian IT services giant Infosys.
Speaking in an interview with ITV which would be broadcast later on Wednesday (12), Sunak referenced his parents' decision not to subscribe to the channel as an example of sacrifices they made to fund his education, emphasizing the importance of going without certain luxuries during his upbringing.
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When asked to cite a specific example of something that the Conservative leader missed out as a kid, Sunak said, "There'll be all sorts of things that I would've wanted as a kid that I couldn't have. Famously, Sky TV, so that was something that we never had growing up actually."
The opposition Labour has sought to leverage the PM's personal wealth, alleging that it renders him disconnected from the everyday struggles of most Britons.
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Sunak's family's net worth is estimated to exceed £650 million ($828 million), ranking him 245th on the Sunday Times 2024 "Rich List" of the wealthiest Britons, surpassing King Charles III, who occupies the 258th position.
Earlier this year, the opposition party criticized Sunak's choice to wager £1,000 on his government's potential to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, deeming it distasteful and an amount beyond the means of most individuals to gamble.
Sunak recently faced embarrassment following his interview with ITV, as he had to curtail his participation in the D-Day commemorations in northern France in order to prioritize the recording. He apologised later, saying it was "a mistake not to stay longer" after the opposition called it a dereliction of duty.
This photograph taken on April 28, 2026 shows a boy getting "thali", a sacred thread tied to his neck symbolising marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom.Getty Images
This photograph taken on April 29, 2026 shows a member of the transgender community mourning as a priest cuts the "thali", a sacred thread symbolising end of her marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom. Getty Images
