NatWest Group announced on Monday that the UK government is no longer a majority shareholder in the bank as its stake dropped below 30 per cent. NatWest, formerly known as the Royal Bank of Scotland, has been majority owned by the British government since its £46bn bailout during the 2008 financial crisis.
The decline in government ownership, from over 45 per cent in late 2022 to 29.8 per cent currently, follows consistent daily sales and a £1.3bn buyback in May last year. At the outset of 2024, the government held just under 38 per cent of the bank.
