Carol Vorderman unleashes blistering attack over King Charles and Prince William’s earnings

Carol Vorderman has branded King Charles and Prince William’s earnings as “grubby” and “shocking”.

As sovereign and Prince of Wales, the monarch and his heir own a sizable property portfolio. King Charles, who ascended to the throne in 2022, was the Prince of Wales for more than five decades, and with it came the sizable Duchy of Cornwall estate. Since becoming King, he inherited the Duchy of Lancaster from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth.

Meanwhile, William, 42, became the Prince of Wales and took on the role of the Duke of Cornwall and became head of the Duchy of Cornwall. With their enormous empires, the estates can benefit from the land’s wealth. According to a recent investigation, the pair rent from businesses like Marie Curie, the NHS, and the Ministry of Justice.

Prior to that, the government had access to a long list of landowners owned by the King and his heir. However, Dispatches and The Sunday Times, both of whom conducted recent investigations, revealed the lucrative tax-free deals the King are entitled to, with an estimated £610 million. Official documents show that they charge for crossing rivers, offloading cargo onto the shore, running cables under various beaches, operating schools, charities and even digging graves.

The Duchy of Lancaster and The Duchy of Cornwall are both landlords, and their tax exemption agreement with the Treasury exempts them. However, both the Duchy of Lancaster and Cornwall are funded by leases and contracts signed by King and William in their own names rather than directly from the British government.

Last year, the Duchy of Lancaster raised an eyewatering £27.4 million for King Charles, while the Duchy of Cornwall saw Prince William rake in £23.6 million. They can use the funds for any purpose, including paying for their staff, paying for their own personal income, or paying for private homes.

According to annual reports from the Duchies, the Duchy of Cornwall owns 3,536 properties while the Duchy of Lancaster holds 1,874. The Ministry of Justice will pay the Duchy of Cornwall £1.5 million annually for Dartmoor Prison, while the NHS will pay the Duchy of Lancaster a sizable £11 million over 15 years to rent a warehouse for ambulances.

Since the documentary aired, Carol Vorderman has taken to X, formerly known as Twitter to share her outrage to her 981, 200 followers. One post read: “Shocking. #Dispatches investigation into the shady andamp; secretive royal family’s earnings on Sunday. In addition to charging high rents to Marie Curie andamp; Macmillan charities, WE also donate to them. They get the money! The list is long”. Another post said: “Royal Family, Sunday @thetimes &amp, #Dispatches. The Royals’ list of secretive funds is truly shocking. Including NHS paying the King £11m (over 15 yrs) rent for a warehouse for ambulances… charging our NHS 67% MORE than for the previous tenants”.

A third post read: “Secretive finances of the Royal Family Money from charities, NHS, armed forces…. horrified. Shocking detail from Sunday @thetimes &amp, @Channel4 #Dispatches”. However, while Cartol claims the revenue is “secretive”, the financial reports for both Duchies are publicly published each year.

In response to Vorderman’s claims, a spokesperson for the Duchy of Lancaster told the Mirror: “The Duchy of Lancaster manages a broad range of land and property assets. It runs its own business and doesn’t receive any government funding for its activities. It adheres to all applicable UK laws and regulatory standards that apply to its range of business activities and publishes an annual report and accounts that are independently audited and accessible on its website.

The Duchy of Lancaster’s spokesperson told The Times: “The Duchy of Lancaster operates as a commercial company, managing a broad range of land and property assets across England and Wales. It adheres to all applicable UK laws and regulatory requirements for its range of business activities.

The council and executive team are in charge of overseeing the portfolio while His Majesty The King is closely involved in the duchy’s work. Our published report and accounts, which are independently audited and freely available on the Duchy of Lancaster website, each year disclose the duchy’s financial and environmental performance. In recent years, The Duchy has implemented a number of significant environmental improvements, including the addition of A+, A, and B EPC ratings for our properties as a result of renovation or restoration projects.

The Duchy of Cornwall’s spokesperson stated that while maintaining our commitment to protecting the environment and creating positive social impact for our communities, it is a private estate with a commercial imperative.

Prince William resigned as duke of Cornwall in September 2022 and has since pledged to see the duchy undergo a significant transformation. This includes a significant investment to reduce Cornwall’s homelessness by 2032, establish targeted mental health support for our tenants, and collaborate with local partners to combat homelessness in Cornwall.

Buckingham Palace and both Duchies have been approached by The Mirror for comment.

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Source: Mirror