To say Balmoral could/should be National Trus

[Happyhapoydog]

for
Scotland or similar. Is Charlie going to want it? Don’t they all have their own estates?
I said this to a colleague who got really ANGRY as it’s ‘disrespectful’ after claiming only the Royals would have the money to upkeep the place. I said - turn it over to NTS or similar and give it back to the public.
she’s now not talking to me!

This
Why just proclaim uninformed stuff like this? It's a private residence maybe someone would like to claim your house on your death see how your family like it

What do you mean give it “back” to the public? Has it ever been publicly owned? As far as I know it’s a private home which presumably holds a lot of memories for the Royal family, if they want to give it to the NT then great but there’s no “should” about it.

I would like to see it sectioned off into royal apartments and the turned into a residential centre for the Princes Trust - the RF could have their bit for 3 months of the year, the remaining sprawl of rooms and estate could be run as a business training centre with outward bound, arts facilities, workshops etc for the remaining 9 months.

Prince Charles (as he was at the time) has already done this with the Castle of Mey, which he inherited from the QM, and which I believe was almost a ruin before she bought it as a project after she was widowed; and with Dumfries House and its contents, which were on their way to the saleroom when he managed to put together a last minute rescue package.

@Aishah231 it isn’t privately owned and maintained with public money at all. It’s a 5,000 acre estate that will fund itself through farming, shoots, agri schemes, commerical, agricultural and private rentals and tourism. It isn’t funded by the Crown Estate or public money at all.

Lol @ KC3 being the world’s biggest landowner.

Good grief - is that really believed?

I'm not sure you realise that we have lots of Palaces and castles in Scotland. It's not really something we have a shortage of ... they're managed/owned by the National Trust for Scotland or Historic Environment Scotland or smaller individual charities.

@TightDiamondShoes it isn’t true. That ‘statistic’ is based on the Queen ‘owning’ the whole of the Uk, Australia, Canada, NZ and lots of the Bahamas.

UKs biggest private landowner. They can afford to run it and Sandringham plus the other houses e.g. Highgrove, Gatcombe Park. They do pay taxes but it's a bit grey. Article on this in The Guardian this week.

Why should it be. It's private Property. It does not belong to the state.

I don’t think it’s run by the Prince’s Trust - it’s run by a foundation with more limited activities and as a visitor attraction.

It's not like the other owners of National Trust places happily handed them to the trust. They had to, because they couldn't afford to run them or couldn't pay the inheritance tax. Or both.

If it is privately owned, then it shouldn't be exempt from inheritance tax.

As an aside, demonising inheritance tax is the biggest con played by the rich. It is a wonderful tax. Take it away and you end up with the rich getting richer and the poor getting screwed.

Largest in the UK isn’t he?

I was reading about this. Only the King/Queen doesn't have to pay. All other royals do.

Almost as though back in the day they had a meeting with the Govt and said wouldn't it be good if....

Generates business for their estate planners. Get it right and you save £££ e.g. Duke of Westminster.

Doesn't he have to give up loads of his wealth on being monarch anyway, though? that probably goes some way to not paying inheritance tax on the private properties

Balmoral is a beautiful peaceful place that has been treasured by the Royal Family for years and somewhere that they can completely escape from everyday life and unwind. It is open to the public in a limited capacity but it's lovely to wander among the beautiful gardens.

Why should it be given to the National Trust?

Hasn’t the National Trust stopped taking on new properties?
They don’t want to add to the portfolio

Not sure if NTS have said the same though

Of all the goady anti monarchy threads, this is the one that has got my goat the most. English superiority complex at its worst.

OP, Balmoral is the one royal residence actually owned by the Royal family rather than held in trust etc which begs the question why on earth do you think they should give it away to the NT?

I think it was bought by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria btw.

Balmoral is so “open to the public” that during the covid years, delightful “wild campers” were shitting throughout the grounds and leaving their bog roll and faeces.

oh yes, the Guardian. bastion of truth that one.

‘Its privately bought and owned not a Public property’

fine, in that case let’s have Charlie pay inheritance tax. Then see if he wants to keep it.
would be a nice gesture though, wouldn’t it. Given all the land the Royals have amassed over the years…

‘Oh dear OP!! You really have got your facts wrong here, haven't you!?’

Have I? I am aware that it’s not public property. I just thinking should be. It’s not like the Royals ‘earned’ their wealth is it? Saved up those pennies and bought themselves a nice estate with it…

Go up to Balmoral and tell the local people all of this. I take it you're not Scottish.

I’m Scottish and I agree with the OP. The wealth of that family is insane, he definitely should be paying inheritance tax. On another thread someone pointed out the Imperial state crown is worth around 5 billion. And all while their loyal subjects are in a cost of living crisis.