For the Royals to have a ‘positive impact on the world’, it’ll take more than selling some land

Social and environmental causes are being positioned as close to the hearts of modern-day Royals. But given their enormous wealth and persistently high environmental footprint – amidst ongoing revelations about how much they extract from the public purse – how does this claim stack up?

The Royal assets

Prince William is set to sell off a fifth of the Duchy of Cornwall, raising money “to build homes and help nature”. Announcing this ten-year ambition in the Times earlier this week, its Chief Executive claimed that the Duchy:

should first and foremost exist to have a positive impact on the world.

Not many would disagree that Royal assets could – or should – be directed towards making the world a better place. But how much do the Royals currently benefit from all the resources afforded to them, and how does that compare to the good this does for people and the planet?

The Duchy of Cornwall, created as a source of income for the male heir to the throne, is an enormous portfolio of land worth over £1 billion. It’s estimated to earn Prince William over £20 million each year. Similarly, the Duchy of Lancaster provides an annual sum now approaching £30 million that flows directly to the King. This is on top of the Sovereign grant that the monarchy receives from the government, which has risen sharply in recent years, approaching £140 million in 2026/7.

Beyond these reported sources of income, the Royal Family do not share details of their inherited or privately earned wealth, but this is evidently immense: they own three private estates, which between them occupy more land than Birmingham, as well as extensive collections of jewels, art and more. Their postage stamp collection alone is valued at over £100 million, about 200 times what the average person in the UK earns in a lifetime.

Talking the talk…

So what do the Royals do with the astonishing amount of wealth and land under their control?

Whilst some of their money appears to be channelled towards well-meaning causes, how much remains unclear. The foundations fronted by the Royals, such as the King’s Trust and the Earthshot Prize, are well-publicised for their charitable work, but aren’t solely financed by the Royals themselves – they’re vehicles that redistribute donations and grants from a range of sources.

As large private landlords, both Duchies emphasise their:

commitment to local communities, economies and the natural environment.

But this is hard to reconcile with the profits made from tenants that have included state schools, the NHS and charities, nor the £1.5 million a year they receive renting out an empty prison to the government.

Whilst they act as patrons for nature charities and support several ecosystem restoration projects, the Royals are regularly criticised for the harm they cause to the UK’s nature. This includes presiding over the destruction of our seabed and their penchant for killing wild animals.

The sustainability data reported for activities funded by the Sovereign Grant alone shows the Royals shifting to buying renewable electricity, but does not provide any evidence of significant changes in their consumption, waste or carbon emissions. State-funded “business travel” by the Royals has risen each year since Charles became King, and resulted in the equivalent of 1,900 tonnes of CO₂ emissions last year. That’s like taking five economy-class flights between London and New York every single day.

…but the action does not match

There’s perhaps no starker symbol of UK inequality than the Royal Family living lives of such obvious excess, while an estimated 30% of children live in poverty. And for an institution that benefits so significantly from a legacy of colonialism and slavery, the idea that the Royals are doing anywhere near enough to address systemic injustice is hard to swallow.

And to show the kind of environmental leadership often ascribed to them, they would need to go far, far beyond buying solar panels, planting hedgerows, and adjusting the fuel guzzled by Royal helicopters.

Ecologist Prof James Bullock, who has previously campaigned for the Royals to rewild their land, said:

The UK is one of the most biodiversity depleted countries in the world. To start reversing that and to help adapt to climate change we need to give large areas of land and sea back to nature, as well as use farmland and other productive land more sustainably. The Royals, with their huge landholdings and wealth should be taking a lead on this necessary transition rather than tinkering around the edges.

Commenting on William’s recent announcement in the context of the Royal’s historical land-grabbing, Bullock also said:

The Prince is selling land appropriated from the nation. It would be more appropriate if he gave it back.

Featured image via Aaron Chown – WPA Pool / Getty Images

By Abi Perrin

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