Thanks to the credit crunch that led to a crash in property prices since 2007, there aren't many companies or individauls who can boast an increase in value of their their property assets. The home owners up and down the nation have lost an average 15 - 17 per cent in value since 2007, commercial sector is even worse affected.

However there are exceptions, especially if your properties are located in prime ocations.

One example is Queen Elizabeth 2. Her portfolio has seen its value boosted by a cool £500 million in the last 6 months alone.

Queen's Crown Estate property empire, which dates back to 1066, and owns parts of Regent Street and St James’s in central London as well as Windsor Great Park and Ascot race course is estimated to be worth £6.5 billion, up by 8.3 per cent at beginning of the year.

This is in contrast with the widely-used Investment Property Databank index which is down 3.5 per cent over the same period.

Crown Estate owns quite a diversified portfolio of properties. It includes agricultural land, marine estate as well as commercial property in prime locations within United Kingdom.

Despite the cheering news, these profits will not be realised to Queen's personal bank account at any time. Under a deal agreed by George III in 1760, revenues from the Crown Estate go to the Treasury in return for the Civil List, the money used to maintain the British monarchy.