if you’ve searched Thomas Ravenel wanting the basics fast: he was born on 11 August 1962, making him 63 years old as of this year’s update, and his net worth is most commonly estimated at around $6 million (US), though wider estimates online range considerably higher. He’s a former South Carolina State Treasurer, a real estate developer, and a former cast member of Bravo’s Southern Charm.

That’s the short version. The fuller Thomas Ravenel story involves a prominent Charleston political family, a real estate business he built from scratch, a federal prison sentence, five seasons of reality television, a long-running custody battle, and three children across two relationships. This guide pulls all of it together in one place, sourced from public reporting, with the numbers that are genuinely uncertain flagged as such.

Who Is Thomas Ravenel?

Thomas Jonathan Jackson Ravenel is an American former politician, real estate developer, and reality television personality, best known to UK audiences through Southern Charm’s run on streaming platforms. He served as South Carolina’s State Treasurer for a matter of months in 2007 before resigning amid a federal cocaine indictment, and later became a fixture of Bravo’s Charleston-set reality series from 2014 to 2018.

Ravenel comes from a prominent South Carolina political family. His father, the late Arthur Ravenel Jr., served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Charleston’s Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is named after him. Both of Thomas Ravenel’s parents, Arthur and Louise Ravenel, passed away in 2023.

How Old Is Thomas Ravenel?

Thomas Ravenel was born on 11 August 1962 in Charleston, South Carolina, which makes him 63 years old at the time of this update, turning 64 later this summer. Some older or lower-quality sources online list a different birth year, but 1962 is the figure that lines up with his documented education and career timeline, including his 1985 university graduation.

Thomas Ravenel Education

Thomas Ravenel’s education followed a fairly structured path before he moved into business and politics.

• The Citadel: he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1985 from the well-known Charleston military college.
• University of South Carolina: he later completed an MBA in 1991, focused on real estate and finance, a degree that lines up directly with the development business he went on to found.
• Military service: he also served in the U.S. Army and the South Carolina Army National Guard, reaching the rank of captain, before his business career took off properly.

That real estate-focused MBA is worth noting, since it explains why his subsequent career moved so directly into property development rather than a more general business path.

Net Worth of Thomas Ravenel

The most consistently cited figure for Thomas Ravenel‘s net worth is approximately $6 million (around £4.7 million at current exchange rates), based on estimates that account for his real estate holdings, his Ravenel Development Corporation, and his Southern Charm earnings.

It’s worth being upfront that these figures vary wildly depending on the source. Some sites have published estimates as high as £47 million to £48 million (roughly $60 million), while others sit closer to the $2 million to $15 million range. None of these numbers come from confirmed public financial disclosures, since Ravenel isn’t required to publish detailed personal accounts as a private businessman, so every figure here, including the more commonly cited $6 million, should be treated as an estimate rather than a confirmed total.

[Table: Reported Thomas Ravenel net worth estimates]

How Much Is Thomas Ravenel Worth, and Where Does It Come From?

His wealth is generally attributed to three main sources: his real estate development business, family background, and reality television income. Ravenel Development Corporation, which he founded in 1992, has handled a number of Charleston-area commercial property projects over the years, and this appears to be the largest single contributor to his estimated fortune.

Thomas Ravenel’s Political Career

Before reality television, Ravenel had a genuine political career, one that started strong and ended abruptly.

Early Political Runs

He first ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004, finishing third in the Republican primary. Later that same year, he was elected to the South Carolina State Senate, representing the 39th District.

State Treasurer and Resignation

Ravenel was elected South Carolina’s State Treasurer in 2006 and took office in January 2007. His time in the role was short-lived: he was indicted in June 2007 on federal cocaine distribution charges, and he resigned as Treasurer that same July. He was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison in March 2008.

Later Attempts at a Comeback

Ravenel ran for the U.S. Senate again in 2014, this time as an Independent, and lost. In early 2025, he briefly announced a run for Governor of South Carolina in the 2026 election, before withdrawing days later, citing his responsibilities as a single father raising three young children as his reason.

Thomas Ravenel’s Real Estate Career

Before politics and reality television, Ravenel built a career in Charleston-area commercial property. He founded Ravenel Development Corporation in 1992, using the real estate and finance background from his University of South Carolina MBA to move into commercial developments across the Charleston region.

The business has remained a constant through the various swings in his public profile, from his political career to his television years. It’s generally described as the more stable, longer-running part of his finances, compared with the reality TV income that came and went with his time on Southern Charm.

Thomas Ravenel’s Life Since Southern Charm

Since leaving the show in 2018, Ravenel has stayed largely out of scripted television, though he’s remained a recognisable name in Charleston and among Southern Charm’s audience through occasional news coverage, social media posts, and his ongoing custody arrangement with Kathryn Dennis.

In 2023, Ravenel was seriously injured in a polo accident, breaking seven bones and puncturing a lung, and he spent roughly two months recovering. He’s continued to run his real estate business and raise his children through this period, and the brief 2026 gubernatorial announcement in early 2025 suggests he hasn’t fully closed the door on a return to politics, even if that particular attempt was short-lived.

Thomas Ravenel and Southern Charm

Ravenel joined the cast of Bravo’s Southern Charm for its first season in 2014, bringing his political background and Charleston social standing into the show’s mix of Lowcountry socialites. He remained on the series through its fifth season.

His exit from Southern Charm followed his 2018 arrest on charges of second-degree assault and battery, tied to an alleged incident from 2015. Bravo cut ties with him following the arrest, and he did not return for later seasons. The case was later settled, and a shared custody arrangement with Kathryn Dennis followed in August 2019.

Thomas Ravenel Family Tree

Ravenel’s family background is a significant part of his public profile, particularly in South Carolina, where the Ravenel name carries real political history.

Parents and Siblings

His father, Arthur Ravenel Jr., was a four-term U.S. Congressman from South Carolina, and his mother, Louise Ravenel, became a well-known advocate for disabled people’s rights after their son William was born with Down syndrome in 1959. Thomas grew up with five older siblings and was involved in wrestling and football during high school. Both Arthur and Louise Ravenel passed away in 2023.

Thomas Ravenel’s Children

Ravenel has three children across two relationships.

• Kensington “Kensie” Calhoun Ravenel, born in 2014, his eldest child, shared with former partner and Southern Charm co-star Kathryn Dennis.
• Saint Julien Rembert Ravenel, his son with Dennis, born the following year.
• Jonathan Jackson Ravenel, his youngest child, born in 2020, with ex-fiancée Heather Mascoe.

Ravenel and Dennis were involved in a lengthy, publicly reported custody dispute over Kensie and Saint, which included allegations on both sides and periods of supervised visitation for Dennis. Ravenel has held primary custody of the two children in recent years, though the exact current custody terms aren’t something either party has confirmed in full detail publicly.

Is Thomas Ravenel Married?

No, Thomas Ravenel is not currently married. He was previously married to Mary Ryan from 1995 until their divorce in 1998, and he was in a relationship with Kathryn Dennis from 2014 to 2016. He was also engaged to Heather Mascoe, the mother of his youngest son, though that relationship also ended.

Common Spelling Variations for Thomas Ravenel

A handful of misspellings turn up often enough in search that it’s worth clearing them up here directly. Whether you’ve searched thomas ravenal, thomas ravanel, ravenel thomas, t ravenel, or travis ravenel, they’re all referring to the same person: Thomas Jonathan Jackson Ravenel, the former South Carolina politician and Southern Charm cast member covered throughout this piece.

FAQ

How old is Thomas Ravenel?

Thomas Ravenel was born on 11 August 1962, making him 63 years old as of this update, and he turns 64 later this summer.

What is Thomas Ravenel’s net worth?

His net worth is most commonly estimated at around $6 million, though online estimates vary considerably, from as low as $2 million to as high as $60 million depending on the source, and none of these figures come from confirmed public financial records.

Where did Thomas Ravenel go to university?

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The Citadel in 1985, followed by an MBA focused on real estate and finance from the University of South Carolina in 1991.

How many children does Thomas Ravenel have?

He has three children: Kensington “Kensie” and Saint Julien, both with former partner Kathryn Dennis, and Jonathan, his youngest, with ex-fiancée Heather Mascoe.

Why did Thomas Ravenel leave Southern Charm?

He left the show following his 2018 arrest on second-degree assault and battery charges, tied to an alleged 2015 incident. Bravo cut ties with him after the arrest, and he didn’t return for subsequent seasons.

Was Thomas Ravenel really the South Carolina State Treasurer?

Yes, he was elected State Treasurer in 2006 and took office in January 2007, but resigned that July after being indicted on federal cocaine distribution charges, and he was later sentenced to 10 months in federal prison.

Is Thomas Ravenel related to the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston?

Yes, the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is named after his late father, a four-term U.S. Congressman from South Carolina, who died in 2023.

Did Thomas Ravenel run for Governor of South Carolina?

He briefly announced a run for Governor in the 2026 election in early 2025, then withdrew days later, saying his priority was raising his three young children as a single father.