{"id":2136546,"date":"2025-11-05T10:21:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T10:21:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2136546"},"modified":"2025-11-05T10:21:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T10:21:45","slug":"truth-about-the-royals-money-by-robert-jobson-beatrice-and-eugenies-finances-why-william-wants-to-hide-his-tax-and-the-eye-watering-true-cost-and-hidden-extras-taxpayers-are-forking-out-f","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/truth-about-the-royals-money-by-robert-jobson-beatrice-and-eugenies-finances-why-william-wants-to-hide-his-tax-and-the-eye-watering-true-cost-and-hidden-extras-taxpayers-are-forking-out-f\/","title":{"rendered":"Truth about the Royals’ money by ROBERT JOBSON: Beatrice and Eugenie’s finances, why William wants to hide his tax, and the eye-watering true cost – and hidden ‘extras’ taxpayers are forking out for"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Wealth is always relative \u2013 even for those who possess vast quantities of it, not to mention three valets and an enviable property portfolio.<\/p>\n

And Charles, when he was Prince of Wales, didn\u2019t exactly congratulate himself on his immense good fortune.<\/p>\n

When he came under fire over his multi-million pound annual earnings from the Duchy of Cornwall, he privately lamented that it was worth only about \u00a31billion, its London<\/a> holdings situated in less-than-fashionable Kennington rather than in prime areas such as Belgravia.<\/p>\n

By contrast, when his old friend the Duke of Westminster died in 2016, he passed on the Grosvenor Estate \u2013 then valued at around \u00a39billion and consisting of some of London\u2019s most exclusive areas \u2013 to his son Hugh. This instantly made the then 25-year-old one of the richest men in Britain.<\/p>\n

What does this tell us about the character of King Charles<\/a>? When added to his taste for an uber-luxurious lifestyle, much to the disapproval of his father Philip, you might expect our latest monarch to be a spendthrift when it comes to public funds.<\/p>\n

Instead, he\u2019s on a mission to save taxpayers\u2019 money \u2013 and is largely succeeding.<\/p>\n

The King, who turns 77 next week, knows he has no time to waste in the top job. Asked recently about his love of painting watercolours, he sighed and said: \u2018I don\u2019t have time any more.\u2019<\/p>\n

As his paintbrushes gather dust, he\u2019s been trying to make changes that he hopes will keep the monarchy fit for generations to come. And that has meant cutting costs as well as the dead wood that\u2019s been allowed to accumulate during his mother\u2019s long reign. Surprised at the way Buckingham Palace was being run, the King moved quickly after his accession to slash through the clutter of an overstaffed Royal Household.<\/p>\n

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<\/div><\/div>\n

Hugh\u00a0Grosvenor inherited the\u00a0Grosvenor Estate in 2016 \u2013 then valued at around \u00a39billion and consisting of some of London\u2019s most exclusive areas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Like <\/div><\/div>\n

Like his father, William has been trying to reorganise the finances of his own estate, the Duchy of Cornwall<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

He bluntly instructed long-serving senior courtiers Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Household, and Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Purse and Treasurer to the King, that he wanted change \u2013 and fast.<\/p>\n

His plans were met with push-back from high-ranking courtiers. Some of the senior figures in the top-heavy Palace Household, accustomed to the more sedate pace of the late Queen\u2019s twilight years, did not grasp at first that when the King flagged an issue, he expected immediate action.<\/p>\n

\u2018Sure, he lost his temper when nothing changed, when he returned and saw nothing had been done, but eventually they got the message,\u2019 said a senior source. \u2018There have been staff cutbacks. That started straight away. The buzz phrase in the Household now is \u201cvalue for money\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n

Aides have been ordered to tighten spending from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant and the Duchy of Lancaster \u2013 the sovereign\u2019s chief source of private funds.<\/p>\n

Charles also told them that the Royal Household was \u2018top-heavy\u2019 \u2013 too many high-paid chiefs and not enough lower-ranked staff remunerated fairly.<\/p>\n

\u2018Too many advisers to advisers,\u2019 one insider remarked. \u2018That stops now. The Boss demands efficiency, real work, fair pay.\u2019<\/p>\n

Another said: \u2018The old ways made no sense. Change had to come.\u2019<\/p>\n

The King\u2019s priority is smarter use of resources \u2013 such as offering competitive pay and pensions to hire and keep top-tier staff.<\/p>\n

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\"Beatrice <\/div><\/div>\n

Beatrice and Eugenie have been told unequivocally they\u2019ll have to stand on their own two feet and pay their own way as part of Charles’s cost cutting<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Lancaster <\/div><\/div>\n

Lancaster Castle forms part of the Duchy of Lancaster – a major source of income for the monarchy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Several non-working members of the Royal Family, including Charles\u2019s nieces Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, have been told unequivocally they\u2019ll have to stand on their own two feet and pay their own way.<\/p>\n

One of the issues that frustrated the King, as he confided to friends, was that the Palace was \u2018being run like a hotel, and not a very good one.\u2019 Indeed, several members of the extended Royal Family have continued to enjoy subsidised accommodation, with some allowing their apartments to be used by their children as \u2018London pads\u2019.<\/p>\n

An inside source said: \u2018Over time, that is all going to change. Properties will be let at commercial rates going forward and to people outside the family. Where it is in a Palace environment, they will of course be security vetted.\u2019<\/p>\n

Another source was more blunt: \u2018The King isn\u2019t running a housing association for distant relatives.\u2019<\/p>\n

The eviction of Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage, a Crown Estate property granted to them by the late Queen but unused since their move abroad, was only the start of the process.<\/p>\n

Their loss of a British base, announced soon after publication of Harry\u2019s memoir Spare, was described by one senior source as the \u2018tip of the iceberg\u2019. The message is clear: no freeloaders in the modern monarchy.<\/p>\n

Over the past couple of years, the Palace has unmistakably shifted. \u2018This isn\u2019t about financial cuts,\u2019 an insider remarked. \u2018It\u2019s about getting value for money and efficiency. Sometimes less truly is more.\u2019 Since becoming the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall on his father\u2019s accession, William has been meticulous in watching over how his lucrative Duchy of Cornwall is run. To the surprise of some, he stays until the very end of Duchy finance meetings \u2013 and asks questions.<\/p>\n

\u2018He is right across it and won\u2019t be bamboozled or have the wool pulled over his eyes,\u2019 says a source.<\/p>\n

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\"While <\/div><\/div>\n

While royal weddings, such as Harry and Meghan\u2019s in 2018, undoubtedly draw crowds, this rarely translates into lasting economic benefit<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Last year, he earned a total of more than \u00a323million from the estate \u2013 a matter of public record.<\/p>\n

When his father was Duke of Cornwall, he publicly disclosed from 1993 onwards how much money he paid in tax from his Duchy income. Not William.<\/p>\n

The new Prince of Wales guards his privacy jealously, and keeps the amount he pays in tax a closely guarded secret.<\/p>\n

What does the monarchy cost us? This year, the Sovereign Grant rose by 53 per cent from the year before to \u00a3132.1million (including \u00a334million allocated annually for the decade-long refurbishment of Buckingham Palace). This money will be offset by profits from the Crown Estate \u2013 but it\u2019s nevertheless bound to intensify calls for a comprehensive audit of royal finances. To many, that seems overdue, not least because of all the other royal expenses, some of which are hidden from the public.<\/p>\n

The anti-monarchy campaign group Republic discovered that scores of military personnel are seconded to the Royal Household, costing taxpayers more than \u00a3500,000 in 2023. Most of these fill logistical, advisory or ceremonial support roles. Plus, over the years, many private secretaries have been seconded from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.<\/p>\n

It gets worse. Two of Charles\u2019s three valets, I can reveal, are senior warrant officers who are actually paid for by the Ministry of Defence, while \u2013 according to a senior Household source \u2013 the Royal Logistics Corps is now used to transport the King\u2019s bags. These were once handled privately, and much more cost-effectively, when he was Prince of Wales by a company called Arterial Moving.<\/p>\n

And a Flag Sergeant, whose job is raising the Royal Standard wherever the Monarch is present, is also bizarrely tasked with cleaning the shoes of the Master of the Household. He cleans the shoes of the Master\u2019s deputy, too.<\/p>\n

Leaving that aside, once you throw in royal protection, the real cost of the monarchy, according to Republic, may actually top a staggering \u00a3510million.<\/p>\n

Is it worth it? Supporters claim the monarchy pulls in millions of pounds by boosting tourism and \u2018Brand Britain\u2019. The real figures, however, are elusive.<\/p>\n

Reports reveal that 60 per cent of visitors come to look at royal sites, with Buckingham Palace high on the list. So it\u2019s clear they pull in crowds \u2013 but how do you put a price on that? Frankly, it\u2019s anyone\u2019s guess.<\/p>\n

After all, around ten million people flock each year to the Palace of Versailles, ten miles from Paris, thus making it one of the world\u2019s most visited landmarks. But no one lives there any more.<\/p>\n

In fact, France hasn\u2019t had a truly royal ruler since Louis-Philippe I, whose reign ended with the 1848 February Revolution and the birth of the Second Republic. All those years without a monarch, yet Versailles remains a magnet for tourists.<\/p>\n

By contrast, Buckingham Palace \u2013 where the King conducts official business \u2013 draws nearly 550,000 visitors annually. That\u2019s roughly a 20th of the number who go to Versailles, though it\u2019s worth noting that the Palace has far more limited public access.<\/p>\n

True, major royal events can deliver a short-term jolt to the economy, but the impact is often fleeting and mixed.<\/p>\n

The 2012 Diamond Jubilee bank holiday, for instance, cost an estimated \u00a31.2billion in lost productivity, while the 2022 Platinum Jubilee set the economy back \u00a32.4billion.<\/p>\n

And while royal weddings, such as Harry and Meghan\u2019s in 2018, undoubtedly draw crowds, this rarely translates into lasting economic benefit.<\/p>\n

Despite growing calls for transparency, royal finances remain notoriously opaque, shielded by age-old tradition, privacy laws and special exemptions.<\/p>\n

Key expenses, including the Royal Family\u2019s security and their net income from private estates, remain frustratingly murky. A year ago, a collaboration between Channel 4 and the Sunday Times revealed \u2013 after a five-month investigation \u2013 that the King\u2019s Duchy of Lancaster and William\u2019s Duchy of Cornwall estates bolster their considerable income by raking in \u00a350million from National Health Service hospitals and state schools.<\/p>\n

Both trusts rent out land and buildings they own to public bodies. For instance, the Duchy of Lancaster brings in profits from an \u00a311million, 15-year contract that grants an NHS hospital trust use of a London warehouse near Tower Bridge to house ambulances.<\/p>\n

In January 2023, the Duchy even tried to reap good publicity from the deal by releasing a statement saying it was \u2018pleased to be of assistance\u2019 to Guy\u2019s and St Thomas\u2019 NHS Foundation Trust.<\/p>\n

As for the Duchy of Cornwall, it has quietly turned its vast estate into a cash machine. In Dorset, fire and county authorities have been tied into long-term leases, as have state schools, while the Ministry of Justice now pays to occupy Dartmoor Prison.<\/p>\n

The Royal Navy, too, pays for jetties and ship moorings on Duchy shores. Even charities \u2013 from St John Ambulance to Comic Relief \u2013 have rented garages and offices. Negotiated under Charles and overseen by Prince William, these deals have netted the Duchy of Cornwall tens of millions of pounds.<\/p>\n

Both ancient trusts, of course, work within the letter of the law.<\/p>\n

In response, a spokesman said: \u2018The Duchy of Lancaster operates as a commercial company, managing a broad range of land and property assets across England and Wales. It complies with all relevant UK legislation and regulatory standards applicable to its range of business activities.\u2019<\/p>\n

But that is missing the point. Can these deals be morally right when they benefit a man who is not only Head of State but also head of the nation?<\/p>\n

And whether they pass the sniff test or not, shouldn\u2019t they all at least be a matter of public record? King Charles doesn\u2019t seem to think so.<\/p>\n

When his aides pressed last year for more transparency on the running of the Duchy of Lancaster, says a royal source, Charles pushed back.<\/p>\n

As you\u2019d expect, revelations about the sums both duchies were raking in from publicly funded bodies have caused a furore. The broadcaster and author Libby Purves, for example, labelled them a \u2018PR disaster\u2019 that even \u2018the staunchest monarchist will wince at\u2019.<\/p>\n

Norman Baker, the former Liberal MP and Privy Councillor, highlighted tax breaks enjoyed by the royals and the ever-expanding Sovereign Grant \u2013 all fuelled, he said, by Palace lobbying.<\/p>\n

He demanded reforms to the two duchies to challenge what he describes as the UK\u2019s \u2018last imperial monarchy\u2019. Many may have felt he had a valid point. After all, it was hardly the first time we\u2019d heard jaw-dropping revelations about royal finances.<\/p>\n

The so-called \u2018Paradise Papers\u2019, leaked to the Press in 2017, showed that the Duchy of Lancaster, then Queen Elizabeth\u2019s private estate, had around \u00a310million in offshore funds, including some based in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.<\/p>\n

A portion of this invested money was linked to a company accused of exploiting poor families through predatory rent-to-own schemes. It was not a good look.<\/p>\n

Once again, no laws had been broken, but questions were raised about how appropriate it was for Britain\u2019s head of state to benefit financially from these secretive arrangements.<\/p>\n

Nor were they limited to rents and offshore funds. In 2023, an investigation revealed what happened to unclaimed estates in Cornwall and Lancashire \u2013 in other words, the properties of those who die without heirs.<\/p>\n

It turned out that both duchies were benefiting. Despite promises made in the aftermath of the Second World War to direct such funds to charity, many of these unclaimed estates were swelling royal property portfolios.<\/p>\n

Incredibly, this centuries-old practice continues to this day.<\/p>\n

Today, the extent of King Charles\u2019s fortune remains opaque, blending as it does personal and national holdings. All we know is that his wealth spans Balmoral, Sandringham, the Duchy of Lancaster, vast art collections, stud farms and a stock portfolio.<\/p>\n

While he\u2019s taxed on his income and gains, he \u2013 unlike a growing number of his subjects \u2013 has no worries about inheritance tax laying waste to his fortune. The King, you see, is exempt.<\/p>\n

In 2025, the monarchy stands at a crossroads. Its survival hinges on balancing tradition with modern expectations. At its best, it unites above politics; at its worst, it feels like a gilded relic \u2013 vulnerable to irrelevance and scandal.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s royals face a shifting public mood. Younger Britons are not instinctive monarchists \u2013 they lean towards republicanism.<\/p>\n

And lack of transparency, when it comes to the monarchy\u2019s finances, is likely to take its toll.<\/p>\n

If the Crown ceases to connect, it will not collapse in chaos. It will fade gently \u2013 until one day it is no longer missed.<\/p>\n

Legacy and spectacle are not enough. The monarchy\u2019s future hangs on something more fragile: the people\u2019s trust.<\/p>\n

\u25a0 Adapted from The Windsor Legacy by Robert Jobson (John Blake, \u00a322), to be published November 6. \u00a9 Robert Jobson 2025. Pre-order a copy of The Windsor Legacy (9781789468762) for only \u00a310 (RRP \u00a322) from tgjonesonline.co.uk<\/a>. Use code DM-WINDSOR10 at checkout. Offer valid until November 12, 2025. Excludes delivery. Online only. Terms apply.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.celebrity.land.co.uk \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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