The pretty UK islands owned by Prince William that sees 125k tourists per year

As the Duke of Cornwall, Prince William owns a vast amount of land in the United Kingdom.

The Prince took over the Duchy of Cornwall in September 2022, following the death of his grandmother and the accession to the throne of his father to the British throne.

The Duchy consists of around 52,449 hectares of land in 20 counties, mostly in the South West of England.

It was established by Edward III in 1337 and the estate’s revenues are passed to Prince William, who uses them to fund his family, charitable and private activities.

The estate includes a popular tourist destination that attracts around 125,000 people during the summer season.

The Isles of Scilly have been part of the Duchy of Cornwall since its beginning in the 14th century.

The archipelago is made up of over 200 islands and rocks located 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall.

Today the Duchy owns most of the land and nearly a third of the residential buildings on the islands.

The islands are covered in heathland and fringed by sandy beaches such as the Great Bay on Saint Martin’s.

Saint Martin’s is just one of five inhabitable islands – the others being Saint Mary’s, Saint Agnes, Tresco and Bryher.

The rugged natural beauty and the secluded beaches are a big attraction for visitors.

In 1975, the Isles of Scilly were designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Isles have a thriving flower farming industry, which dates back to the 1860s.

They are still famous for producing the scented narcissi flowers, which thrive in the narrow fields and mild climate.

Tourism is the most important industry – accounting for more than 85 percent of the local economy and employing more than 70 per cent of the islands’ population.

The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, which manages around 60 percent of the area, plays an important role in protecting wildlife and their habitats.

The Trust pays a token rent to the Duchy of one daffodil per year.