Danielle Steel at a Glance
- Categories: Celebrities > Authors, Celebrities
- Net Worth: $600 Million
- Birthdate: Aug 14, 1947 (76 years old)
- Birthplace: New York City
- Gender: Female
- Profession: Novelist, Writer, Author
- Nationality: United States of America
- Height: 5 ft 1 in (1.57 m)
Danielle Steel’s Net Worth: A Look at the Bestselling Author’s Fortune
Danielle Steel, a name synonymous with romance novels, has built an impressive empire. This article delves into Danielle Steel’s net worth, exploring her career, early life, and the various ventures that have contributed to her financial success.
Table of Contents
- What is Danielle Steel’s Net Worth?
- Early Life
- Career
- Personal Life
- Awards and Honors
- Spreckels Mansion & Other Real Estate
What is Danielle Steel’s Net Worth?
Danielle Steel’s net worth is estimated to be $600 million, a testament to her prolific writing career. With over 190 books published and global sales exceeding 800 million copies, she is one of the world’s bestselling authors. Her success is primarily attributed to her romance novels, which have captivated readers worldwide. Some of her most notable works include “The Promise” (1979), “Once in a Lifetime” (1982), and “Until the End of Time” (2013). However, her literary contributions extend beyond romance, encompassing poetry, picture books, and children’s series like “Max & Martha” and “Freddie.”
The widespread appeal of Steel’s novels is reflected in their translation into numerous languages, and the adaptation of over 20 of her books into films and miniseries. A significant milestone in her career was her appearance in the “Guinness Book of World Records” in 1989, following a remarkable 381 consecutive weeks on “The New York Times” Bestseller List.
Early Life
Danielle Steel was born Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel on August 14, 1947, in New York City. She spent her childhood in a multicultural environment, with a Portuguese mother, Norma, and a German father, John. Her upbringing included frequent attendance at her parents’ lavish dinner parties in France, where she mingled with prominent figures. Her father was a descendant of Joseph Schülein, the owner of Löwenbräu beer, and her mother was the daughter of Portuguese diplomat Gil da Camara Stone dos Reis.
Her parents divorced when she was eight, and she was primarily raised by her father. She graduated from the Lycée Français de New York in 1965. She briefly studied fashion design and literature at Parsons School of Design and New York University but did not complete her studies due to health concerns.
Steel’s writing journey began early, with stories as a child and poetry in her teens. She wrote her first manuscript at 19 while navigating married life and later worked at a New York advertising agency called Supergirls after her first child was born. Her connection to the editor of “Ladies’ Home Journal,” John Mack Carter, proved pivotal, encouraging her to pursue writing a book. She later took a copywriting role at San Francisco’s Grey Advertising Agency, publishing her debut novel, “Going Home,” in 1973.

(Photo by Michel Dufour/WireImage)
Career
After the publication of “Going Home,” Steel faced initial manuscript rejections. However, her career gained momentum towards the end of the decade, marked by the publication of “Passion’s Promise” (1977), “Now and Forever” (1978), “The Promise” (1978), “Season of Passion” (1979), and “Summer’s End” (1979). “The Promise” was particularly significant, becoming the first of her novels to be adapted into a film, featuring Kathleen Quinlan and Stephen Collins.
The 1980s were a prolific period, with 20 novels, including “A Perfect Stranger” (1983), “Wanderlust” (1986), and “Daddy” (1989), along with non-fiction titles such as “Love: Poems” (1984) and “Having a Baby” (1984). In 1989, she launched the “Max & Martha” series, comprising six books. The 1990s saw the adaptation of 20 of her novels into films or miniseries. “Jewels” (1992) earned Golden Globe nominations. Notably, 12 of her novels reached #1 on “The New York Times” Bestseller List during this decade, and she released the four books in her “Freddie” series in 1992.
Since 2000, Steel has published over 70 novels, accompanied by non-fiction works like “A Gift of Hope: Helping the Homeless” (2012), “Pure Joy: The Dogs We Love” (2013), and “Expect a Miracle” (2020). She has also ventured into picture books, including “The Happiest Hippo in the World” (2009), “Pretty Minnie in Paris” (2014), and “Pretty Minnie in Hollywood” (2016). In 2013, Steel released the album “Love Notes,” featuring ten tracks written by her in collaboration with French composers. The album showcases a blend of English and French tracks. In 2020, she published six novels: “Moral Compass,” “The Numbers Game,” “The Wedding Dress,” “Daddy’s Girls,” “Royal,” and “All That Glitters,” with several more novels slated for release in 2021.

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Personal Life
Danielle Steel’s personal life has been marked by five marriages and divorces. Her first marriage was to banker Claude-Eric Lazard from 1965 to 1974, with whom she had a daughter, Beatrix, in 1968. She later met bank robber Danny Zugelder in 1972. They married in 1975 while he was incarcerated, divorcing in 1978. The same year, she married William Toth, a heroin addict, shortly before the birth of their son, Nick. After divorcing in 1981, their son Nick tragically died by suicide in 1997. Steel published “His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina” the following year, donating the proceeds to the Nick Traina Foundation, a charitable organization.
In 1981, she married vintner John Traina, with whom she had five children: Samantha (born 1982), Victoria (born 1983), Vanessa (born 1984), Maximilian (born 1986), and Zara (born 1987). John adopted Nick, and Danielle became stepmother to John’s sons, Trevor and Todd. Their marriage ended in 1996. Two years later, she married financier Thomas J. Perkins, but they divorced in 2002. In 2003, she opened Steel Gallery, an art gallery in San Francisco, later curating shows for the Andrea Schwartz Gallery after it closed in 2007.
Awards and Honors
Steel’s contributions have been recognized through numerous awards and honors. She was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2009 and received the title of Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government in 2002. Her novel “The Kiss” won a Lucien Barrière Literary Award at the Deauville Film Festival that same year. She has also been recognized for her charitable work, becoming the first non-physician to receive the “Distinguished Service in Mental Health Award” from New York Presbyterian Hospital in May 2009. Further accolades include a “Distinguished Service Award” from the American Psychiatric Association, an “Outstanding Achievement Award” from the California Psychiatric Association, and a “Service to Youth Award” from St. Mary’s Medical Center and the University of San Francisco Catholic Youth Organization.
Spreckels Mansion & Other Real Estate
Steel has also been involved in real estate. In August 2014, she listed her Stinson Beach, California, home, spanning nearly 3,500 square feet, for $8.995 million, selling it for $8 million in November of the same year. In 2012, she sold another Stinson Beach property for $2.579 million, significantly less than the $6.5 million she paid in 2002. She also owns a home in Paris and the 55-room Spreckels Mansion in San Francisco.
The Spreckels Mansion, built between 1912 and 1913 by businessman Adolph B. Spreckels, represents a significant asset in her portfolio. Adolph Spreckels, known as “sugar daddy,” built the mansion for his wife, Alma de Bretteville, and spent approximately $1 million on its construction. Today, this would be equivalent to around $40 million. Danielle acquired the property after it had been divided into four units and then recombined it. The mansion is estimated to be worth over $100 million, potentially reaching $200 million.