King Charles, Prince William’s Royal Estates Controversy Explained

King Charles III and Prince William Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Investigators are claiming that King Charles and Prince William’s estates are bringing in a hefty income for the royals.

Two U.K. outlets, Channel 4’s Dispatches and the Sunday Times, alleged that The Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall — which are the private properties for Charles, 75, and William, 42 — have received millions from the contracts with public bodies and charities. The outlets claimed that the estates are estimated to make £50 million ($64 million USD) in the future.

The Duchy of Lancaster is the estate of the British sovereign and currently held by Charles. It spans across England and Wales and includes urban developments, historic buildings, farmland and nature. The Duchy of Cornwall is the other estate meant for the eldest son of the reigning British monarch, which is currently the Prince of Wales.

The investigation claimed that Charles and William are financially benefiting from the property with ties to their charitable organizations. The Duchy of Cornwall has received at least £22 million ($28 million USD) since 2005 from a share of rents paid to the Camelford House complex.

Dispatches’ reporting alleged that St John’s Ambulance — a nonprofit that Charles is a patron of — previously paid the Duchy of Cornwall almost £60,000 ($64,000 USD) for use of its land. The outlet also claimed that the estate is also receiving £11.4 million ($14.6 miliion USD) to store electric ambulances through a deal with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust.

Meanwhile, the Duchy of Cornwall reportedly has a £37 million ($47 million USD) deal to lease the Dartmoor prison to the Ministry of Justice for 25 years.

According to the investigation, 14 percent of the homes leased by the Duchy of Cornwall and 13 percent by the Duchy of Lancaster allegedly failed to meet the minimum energy efficiency requirements made by the government.

“The Duchy has made a number of key environmental improvements in recent years, delivering a significant increase in the number of A+, A and B EPC ratings awarded to our properties as a result of refurbishment or restoration works,” a Duchy of Lancaster spokesperson said in a statement responding to the allegations, per the Sunday Times. “Currently, over 87% of all Duchy let properties are rated E or above. The remainder are either awaiting scheduled improvement works or are exempted under UK legislation.”

While the royals — especially William — have been advocating for green initiatives, both duchies are allegedly involved in controversial mining practices.

“Prince William became Duke of Cornwall in September 2022 and since then has committed to an expansive transformation of the Duchy,” the spokesperson for the Duchy of Cornwall spokesperson told the Sunday Times. “This includes a significant investment to make the estate net zero by the end of 2032, as well as establishing targeted mental health support for our tenants and working with local partners to help tackle homelessness in Cornwall.”

Us Weekly has reached out for comment.