Duchy of Lancaster Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over £27M Royal Income

Calls for transparency surrounding the Duchy of Lancaster intensified this month after newly released financial reports revealed that King Charles III received over £27 million in private income from the estate during the 2024–2025 fiscal year The Independent. The Duchy, a sprawling portfolio of land, property, and investments held in trust for the sovereign, remains exempt from many public accountability measures—despite its privileged legal status.

A coalition of MPs, legal scholars, and nonprofit watchdogs are now urging Parliament to reclassify the Duchy’s operations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, arguing that its hybrid status—private ownership with public privileges—creates a legal blind spot. Critics also cite the Charities Act 2011, questioning whether the Duchy’s philanthropic claims align with its opaque financial practices.

Key concerns include:

• Lack of competitive bidding for Duchy contracts

• Absence of public oversight over land use and investment strategy

• Discrepancies between reported surplus and actual disbursements to the Privy Purse Statista

The Duchy publishes annual reports, but campaigners argue these lack granular detail and fail to meet modern standards of fiscal transparency Duchy of Lancaster. With rising public interest in royal finances and growing pressure on the monarchy to modernize, the issue is expected to surface in upcoming parliamentary debates.

Legal analysts suggest that any reform would require redefining the Duchy’s constitutional role—a move likely to face resistance from Buckingham Palace and the Privy Council.