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

The Monarch and his heir are both owners of a huge property portfolio as the sovereign and Prince of Wales. King Charles who took to the throne in 2022 had been the Prince of Wales for over five decades and with the title came the vast 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 vast empires comes fortune and thousands of acres of land – which the estates can profit on. A recent investigation discovered that the pair receive rent from organisations such as Marie Curie, the NHS and the Ministry of Justice.

Previously, the government had access to the long list of landholdings held by the King and his heir. But a recent investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times have shared the lucrative tax-free deals for the King, worth 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.

King Charles’ and Prince William’s vast property portfolio has come under fire ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Carol Vorderman hit out at the King and his heir ( 

The Duchy of Lancaster and The Duchy of Cornwall operate as landlords and have an agreement with the Treasury, making them exempt from paying taxes on their corporate profits. However, both the Duchy of Lancaster and Cornwall are not directly funded by the British taxpayer and instead from leases and contracts in the King and William’s own names.

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 are able to use the funds for whatever they like, whether that be to fund private homes, personal income and pay their staff.

Annual reports filed by the Duchies state that the Duchy of Cornwall owns 3,536 properties while the Duchy of Lancaster holds 1,874. The NHS will pay the Duchy of Lancaster a huge £11 million over 15 years in order to rent a warehouse for ambulances, while the Ministry of Justice pays the Duchy of Cornwall £1.5 million per year for Dartmoor Prison.

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. Sunday @thetimes & #Dispatches investigation into the grubby & secretive earnings of the Royal Family. Incl charging huge rents to Marie Curie & Macmillan charities WHICH THEY’RE PATRONS OF & which WE donate to. They get the money! The list is long.” Another post said: “Royal Family, Sunday @thetimes & #Dispatches. The list of secretive money to the Royals 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 & @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 is self-financing and does not receive any public funds in connection with its activities. It publishes an Annual Report and Accounts that is independently audited and available to view on its website and complies with all relevant UK legislation and regulatory standards applicable to its range of business activities.”

In response to the documentary, a spokesperson for the Duchy of Lancaster 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 complies with all relevant UK legislation and regulatory standards applicable to its range of business activities.

“While His Majesty The King takes a close interest in the work of the duchy, the day-to-day management of the portfolio is the responsibility of the council and executive team. The financial and environmental performance of the duchy is disclosed each year in our published report and accounts which are independently audited and freely available on the Duchy of Lancaster website. 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 spokesperson for the Duchy of Cornwall added: “The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate with a commercial imperative which we achieve alongside our commitment to restoring the natural environment and generating positive social impact for our communities.

“Prince William became Duke of Cornwall in September 2022 and since then has committed to an expansive transformation of the duchy. 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.”