The monarch and Prince William have sparked uproar after it was revealed they are benefiting from rental deals with public services – including the armed forces and state schools – on their private estates, the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall.
The two estates earned the royals upwards of £50m in the last financial year, with both being exempt from paying corporation tax or capital gains tax.
Charles has been asked to reconsider an £11.4m deal struck by the Duchy of Lancaster last year to store a fleet of electric ambulances, owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, in one of the estate’s warehouses for 15 years.
Campaigners described the deal as “disgraceful” and a “money-grabbing activity” which ought to be reconsidered by the King.
“I think it is disgraceful actually, given the NHS is under so much pressure, for the royal family to charge for ambulance parking and other NHS uses,” Dennis Reed from Silver Voices, a campaign group for elderly people, told the Daily Mail. “[It] sounds rather like a money-grabbing activity. And I would hope because of the publicity there will be a rethink in the royal household.”
The investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times also reported last year that William’s Duchy of Cornwall had charged the navy more than £1m since 2004 to build and use jetties and moor warships on the Cornish coastline.
The investigation found that the Duchy will also earn around £600,000 over the lifetime of six different leases agreed with local state schools.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
'Melania is interesting. Very vulnerable, always has been'
There aren’t many celebrities that Jonathan Becker hasn’t photographed and there’s a story behind them all. He tells Zoé Beaty about the pick of his five decades behind the lens
It will be women who feel the impact of Tube strikes most
As any seasoned Londoner will know, Tube strikes are just as much part of the fabric of city life as the London Underground itself.
Verstappen exposed Norris flaws with drive of his life
The scene was set under the dark skies of the Interlagos Circut in Sao Paulo. Lando Norris was on pole; Max Verstappen was 16 places behind.
Women's scene in real need of a matchmaker for 2025.
On Saturday night in Birmingham, Chantelle Cameron won for the second time in what has been a bad year for professional women’s boxing in Britain and Ireland.
Boss levels: Anfield stages meeting of new likely lads
Around the turn of the year, when five of the major European clubs were looking for new managerial candidates, one official involved in recruitment let out a sigh.
Amorim's two key tasks as he tries to revive Man Utd
Ruben Amorim will soon leave a team with 10 league wins this season for one with nine league goals. He will quit a side first in their domestic league for one in 13th.
Trial of suspects in teacher beheading begins in France
Eight people have gone on trial in Paris on terrorism charges over the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty.
Royals face brunt of Spain's anger at officials over floods
Spain’s prime minister was the real target of protesters who hurled clots of mud at the Spanish king and queen when they visited the centre of the nation’s deadliest natural disaster in living memory, a royal expert has said.
Royals face calls to dissolve 'disgraceful' private estates
King Charles is facing calls to dissolve his lucrative private estates and refund the cash-strapped NHS after it emerged he is making millions from renting out ambulance parking spaces and sub-standard properties.
'My son said only way he'd get to leave is in a body bag'
Mother says IPP robbed son of adult life before he died at 34
