Adele has been named as Britain’s richest ever female musician, according to the Sunday Times Rich List. 

The 27-year-old artist, famed for such chart-topping hits as 'Someone Like You' and 'Hello,' has seen her wealth increase by £35 million in the last year, leaving her with a fortune of £85 million. 

The boost is largely thanks to the release of her album '25' which, to date, has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide.

Despite its November release, the record became the world’s best selling album of 2015, and became the fastest million-selling record in the UK, after just ten days on sale. 

Despite her success, the achievement may come as a surprise to some. Adele, whose down-to-earth nature has made her a national treasure, is an artist who notoriously refuses to play the showbiz game. After the successful release of album '21,' Adele decided to take a break from the music industry, in order to have a baby, Angelo, now three years old.

She is famously private in an age that is dominated by social media, where celebrities take to platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, in order to further promote their brand. The achievement can be seen to pay homage to the singer's unique talent, and signals the respect she has earned as a working mother. 

The increase has placed Adele at number seven on the Times’s 50 Young Rich, the list of the wealthiest people aged 30 and under. 

Surprisingly few women joined her however, with the list largely dominated by males. 

Only eight other women made the list, including Fawn and India Rose James, who have a combined wealth of £428 million due to property, and were ranked second on the list, Emma Watson (£35 million, ranked 16th), Florence Welch (£30 million, ranked 31st), Ellie Goulding (£17 million, ranked 39th), Jessie J (£16 million, ranked 42nd) and Cara and Poppy Delevigne, who have a joint wealth of £14 million, and ranked at 49th.

Little Mix ranked fifth in the wealthiest young bands, with a combined wealth of £24 million.