Beyonce Knowles tops rich list

Beyonce Knowles has topped a list of young rich stars.

The 27-year-old singer-and-actress' £55 million 2008 earnings were almost double that of Justin Timberlake, also 27, who was ranked second in Forbes magazine's list of high earners under 30 after taking home £30 million last year.

Sports stars made up the rest of the top five, with LA Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant in third place with £26.8 million – who at 30 features in the list for the final time - 23-year-old Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player LeBron James in fourth, and tennis star Roger Federer, 27, fifth.

Keira Knightley, 23, was the highest-earning young British star, with earnings of £22 million. Both the 'Harry Potter' and 'High School Musical' franchises helped three of their young stars make the list. Wizard threesome Daniel Radcliffe, 19, Emma Watson, 18, and Rupert Grint, 20, came 8th, 16th and 19th respectively, while Disney trio Zac Efron, 21, Ashley Tisdale, 23, and Vanessa Hudgens, 19, also made the top 20.

This is the second rich list Beyonce has topped in the last month. The 'Cadillac Records' star and husband Jay-Z were named Hollywood's richest couple by Forbes.com with a combined fortune of £109 million.

Forbes magazine 2008 highest earners under 30:

1. Beyonce Knowles (£55 million)
2. Justin Timberlake (£30 million)
3. Kobe Bryant (£26.8 million)
4. LeBron James (£26.1 million)
5. Roger Federer (£24.1 million)
6. Keira Knightley (£22 million)
7. Maria Sharapova (£17.9 million)
8. Daniel Radcliffe (£17.2 million)
9. Miley Cyrus (£17.2 million)
10. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (£10.3 million)
11. Serena Williams (£9.6 million)
12. Venus Williams (£8.9 million)
13. Katherine Heigl (£8.9 million)
14. Jonas Brothers (£8.25 million)
15. Zac Efron (£4 million)
16. Emma Watson (3.78 million)
17. Ashley Tisdale (£3.78 million
18. Hillary Duff (£3.4 million)
19. Rupert Grint (£3.4 million)
20. Vanessa Hudgens (£2.1 million)