Anyone who got the preferential treatment of media attentions will be popular. This is why the Murdochs are not to be messed with. This is also why most Royals around the world pay very close attention to their popularities.
The real wealth and income of most Royals are not from taxes, you silly. Most of them have equity and investment via proxy in other safe havens, like Switzerland, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, British Virgins, Bahamas, Hong Kong, Singapore, Panama, etc etc.
If Norway owns 1.5% of everything in the world via their sovereign funds, the real Royal wealth (not those magazine ranking nonsense, they don't include Royals, Generals, Religions, Dictators, etc) would likely exceed that by a lot. I remember a news article estimated Cartel money is about 10% of the official banking capital in Mexico, so I would guess these influential money would be at least round that all over the world.