There are 70 billionaire moms in the world, and only eight of those women--including Meg Whitman and J.K. Rowling--earned their own way to vast riches. But none of those self-starters are among the world's 10 richest moms, a group that is dominated by widows and daughters of the very rich.

   Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken (Netherlands) $7 billion

55. Married, 5 children

Eight years ago she inherited a 25% stake in one of the world's greatest brewers, Heineken NV, from her late father, Freddy Heineken. A delegate member of Heineken's board of directors; her husband, investment banker Michel de Carvalho, sits on the supervisory board. She studied law at the University of Leiden, and resides with her husband and five children in London.