King Charles and Prince William’s property empires are facing scrutiny after an investigation revealed they are profiting millions from cash-strapped public services, including the NHS, state schools and prisons. The Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, which operate tax-free and provide funding for the royal lifestyle and charitable initiatives, are projected to generate at least 50 million pounds from leasing land to these struggling public services, The Guardian reported.
One major deal involves Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS hospital trust in London, which signed a 15-year contract for 11.4 million pounds to store electric ambulances in a warehouse owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, a historic estate. The investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and the Sunday Times also revealed that King Charles could make at least 28 million pounds from wind farms since the Duchy of Lancaster can charge fees for cables that cross the shore.
Prince William’s Duchy of Cornwall has also made headlines with a 37 million pound agreement to lease Dartmoor prison for 25 years to the Ministry of Justice. Although the Ministry is responsible for all repair costs, it is currently paying 1.5 million pounds for a facility that has no prisoners due to dangerous levels of radon gas. The Duchy also owns Camelford House, a 1960s tower block along the Thames, which has generated at least 22 million pounds from rent since 2005. Recently, two cancer charities, Marie Curie and Macmillan – long supported by the king – moved out to smaller spaces.
Furthermore, the Duchy of Cornwall has charged the Royal Navy over 1 million pounds for building jetties and mooring warships. It has also made money from agreements with the Ministry of Defence for training on Dartmoor, with the costs undisclosed after a Freedom of Information Act request.
The Duchy has earned over 600,000 pounds from building a fire station and is set to gain nearly 600,000 pounds from rental agreements with six state schools.
Despite their public support for environmental causes, many properties managed by these royal estates do not meet basic energy efficiency standards. The investigation found that 14 per cent of homes leased by the Duchy of Cornwall and 13 per cent by the Duchy of Lancaster have energy performance ratings of F or G. Since 2020, it has been illegal for landlords to rent properties rated below E under energy efficiency laws.
In response, the Duchy of Lancaster said that over 87 percent of its properties meet or exceed an E rating, with the rest either waiting for upgrades or exempt from the rules. The royal estates also have agreements with mining and quarrying companies.
These findings have led to calls for a parliamentary inquiry and for the royal estates to be included in the Crown Estate, which gives its profits to the government. While King Charles and Prince William do pay income tax on profits from their estates, they have not disclosed specific amounts.
Critics argue that these estates have an unfair advantage over other businesses because they do not pay corporation tax or capital gains tax. Baroness Margaret Hodge, a former chair of the Commons public accounts committee, said the duchies should be required to pay corporation tax and that the monarchy should promote fairness and transparency.
Both Duchies say they operate like businesses and follow all legal requirements for disclosure, highlighting their commitment to being more environmentally friendly. The Duchy of Lancaster confirmed that King Charles voluntarily pays tax on all income from the Duchy.