Prince William unveils ambitious changes to King Charles’ former properties and land

When King Charles acceded to the throne, he passed on his Prince of Wales title to his son Prince William, and with that came the responsibilities of the Duchy of Cornwall, a large portfolio of property and land across the UK and abroad.

On Wednesday, the Prince and Princess of Wales released a new video on X (formerly known as Twitter), which showed David Cope, Head of Sustainability, talking to the camera about their eco ambitions. The representative for the organisation revealed that they are planning to reach net zero by 2030.

The caption on the video clip read: “Getting The Duchy of Cornwall to net zero by 2030. We’re helping farming tenants and land managers through training, expert advice and investment in infrastructure and machinery that supports low-carbon farming practices. A vital difference where it’s needed most.”

No doubt William’s father Charles will be championing this change considering his passion for environmental causes.

Many fans of William’s branded the news as “amazing” and praised his efforts, with one writing: “Prince William appears to be as dedicated to the land as his Grandmother was and, hopefully. The Prince George will follow in the family tradition,” and another adding: “Amazing!! I’m sure that will be achieved.”

The negative side of comments included a few pointing out William and family’s helicopter and private jet usage going against his eco ambitions.

The Duchy of Cornwall comprises of a range of different properties and land projects, including Highgrove House and the Guy’s Estate and the Cradley Estate in Hereford, and even Oval cricket ground. The impressive Duchy, spanning 23 counties, brings in a £23million-a-year income.

Did you know that having the Duchy under his belt makes William the biggest private landowner in Britain with assets around the £1.2billion mark?

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Does Prince William make money from the Duchy of Cornwall? The official website explains: “Under the 1337 charter, The Prince of Wales is not entitled to the proceeds or profit on the sale of capital assets – and only receives the annual income which they generate, which is voluntarily subject to income tax.

“To ensure that the estate is protected effectively, and for the benefit of future generations, the Duchy’s ‘trust provisions’ have, over the years, been set in legislation, with the financial security of the Duchy overseen by HM Treasury. For example, all property transactions with a value of £500,000 or more are approved by the Treasury.”