Can we do something about William and Charles profiting from the NHS etc ?

[Ukisgaslit]

If You haven’t seen it , the Times and Channel 4 Dispatches programme did some proper old fashioned investigative journalism and revealed how Charles and William via the Duchys are charging schools, the NHS and charities ( some they are patron of!) to use ‘their’ land.
It is not ‘their’ land - it is state land , as the crown estates are. The Duchys were overlooked in 1760 when George 111 handed his holdings over in return for annual handouts from the state - they were overlooked as they were worthless then.
They have made the Windsors billions since the mid 20th century and no corporation tax or capital gains tax paid. William recently refused to continue providing the little financial information that his father offered.

Aside from the obvious fact that the king is in a unique position, being above the law whether we like it or not ( though why is William treated as also above the law?) surely they are humiliated to be revealed as ripping off schools and charities and hospitals?

Where is the Windsor mea culpa and offer to repay with interest? Answer came there none.

So AIBU to expect MPs to please act and fold the Duchys into the crown estate ? The UK is in a weakened state and allowing this feudal greed to continue unchecked diminishes our society further .

I’m not in the uk nor am I British but I honestly don’t know how you all put up with this. Also the soppy videos they post to keep people “entertained “ or fend off questions. It’s so, so patronising. I’m very sorry that Katherine was sick like I would be for anyone particularly with young children but my God that documentary was so shocking .. there are so many impoverished people and even not poor who can’t access proper health care . They are so so incredibly privileged and why ? It’s staggering and grossly unfair.

I’m not in the uk nor am I British but I honestly don’t know how you all put up with this.

As this thread should show it's not "all" of us. Although those that don't do run the very real risk of being arrested.

@SerendipityJane apologises , you are absolutely correct. It’s just when I still see the adoration and grovelling by some over a video or a handshake , it’s baffling. I feel the same with heads of churches etc.
These are normal, human beings!!
“All animals are equal but some are more equal than others” Orwell

@Ukisgaslit how many other tenants are in the office block. Also if you get more information that £22m is over 19 years and the Duchy receives a third of the rents. They are not the landlords, Thames Water are. MacMillan state they moved from that building as didn’t need that amount of space.

yes @crumblingschools im aware of the macmillan statement

Charles takes the rent and pockets it - the middle man is just that .
I imagine the journalists had to dig behind Thames water to find the Duchy as landlord
Charles could fund the charities entirely from his pocket . He doesn’t
William could end homelessness he doesn’t
Quibbling over middlemen doesn’t change the fact that Charles has taken millions in rent from those charities

We don't have a say. Such is the folly of a hereditary system. Quite why any citizen of these islands would deny themselves and everyone else a vote for their own head of state is a mystery to me.

And yes, I do understand 'how the British constitution' works, before anyone trots out that tired old chestnut. I know it well enough to understand that the most radical constitutional changes in recent history were brought about by none other than the Blair government - and to little opposition, it might be added, by either the opposition of the day or the unelected Head of State.

This system is long-since unfit for purpose and needs a radical shake-up from top to bottom. This is likely to happen in increments rather than some form of revolutionary overhaul, but could start with four things: the abolition of the House of Lords and a fully electorially accountable upper chamber installed in its place; the relinquishing of the Windsors' exemption from the FOI act so that their finances are completely transparent and the country can fully see how they're being taken the piss out of; and eventually, the replacement of the monarchy with an elected head of state. A final small but important piece of symbolism would be the replacement of a national anthem with one which every citizen would feel able to sing, and a union flag which represented all four countries.

To claim that this country is only worthy of recognition thanks to a bunch of privileged chinless wonders whose lifestyle is increasingly remote from the rest of the modern world is a slur on the remainder of our far worthier British citizens. We are a country with pretensions to democracy, equality and fairness, so why we cling to this antiquated circus is beyond me.

The King is not above the law. Learn some constitutional history.

And @crumblingschools
You seem confused t- here are the details

quote:
“The investigation found that the duchy receives a third of the rents collected from the building – at least £22m over the past 19 years. Over the same period, Macmillan paid £16.8m to rent office space in the building, while Comic Relief paid £10.3m and Marie Curie £9.1m”

Lets not lose sight of the fact that Charles costs us half a billion A YEAR and he is still taking rents from public services and charities - all while being a so called ‘dutiful’ head of state , devoted to the people .
It’s an utter disgrace .

Well said

Hope this helps

She made a deal with the government in 1993.

Read Norman Baker's book. And What Do You Do for a good read and education.

By which, of course, you mean that all royalists understand the UK constitution whilst republicans by that very definition have no idea. It's the usual tedious objection as trotted out by rote.

Why don't you tell us all about the Magna Carta, its longstanding relationship with UK constitutional history and exactly how the King/judicary work in accordance with each other in today's constitution?

Thrill us with your acumen.

None of the Royals are above the law in theory. And yet the reality is somewhat different. From Queen Elizabeth routinely refusing to wear a seatbelt, to Prince Andrew refusing to be questioned about his alleged rape of a trafficked teenage girl.

The Duchy has their financials online on their website.
There’s masses of facts and figures for those who are interested.

Here is one item
In 2022 they spent 7.8% of the rental income
and in 2021 they spent 10.6% of the rental income
on repairs and maintenance

Whether there is more detail on these spends I don’t know.

In another article by the Duchy they stated they owned 600 properties of which 50 were in need of repair. no details on what type of properties were being referenced.

Has anyone found any facts or figures on the type of buildings and rentals referred to. ?
i Haven’t so far

This could easily be another
‘Meghan spends money on Vegan paint’ throw away comment.

@SavingTheBestTillLast watch the documentary about this. Or read some of the many articles. It was a properly researched issue by serious journalists.

Do your own research. Why is it anyone's job to convince you when you're clearly so airily "tralala" about this whole issue?

@imalonewiththis2 , don’t apologise. The vast, vast majority of the uk population are not those camping out on The Mall to wave inanely at the Buckingham Palace balcony during each wedding, or other event costing millions, that we have to cough up for.

I suspect most people are, at best, indifferent, or, as has been seen multiple times on this thread, simply unwilling to see they’re being taken for mugs.

Very rude🤣🤣🤣🤣
RTFT
i have been
As I said others are winging without any actual evidence

Ive looked, I’ve posted what I can find
Ive asked others if they have anything, if they are interested in facts of course.

No one has to do anything, I’m just asking on the off chance someone cares about actual evidence
Hilarious !

You know maybe people like things the way they are and as we live in a democracy we all have a choice !
Some people like having a Royal Family, ( especially if they work in the tourism trade I would imagine ) At the moment according to stats support for the RF is in the majority with the last poll in 2019 indicating it stood at 70%.

In terms of our taxes used for the purposes of RFs work it’s worth mentioning
that our taxes are spent in many ways that some may not be happy with as we really don’t each get to chose how it’s handed out.

Id rather mine didn’t support the long term but perfectly able unemployed or subsidising meat farmers, for example, but I have no choice where my money goes.

The only mugs around are those that believe every bit of hype they are fed without proof
🤔….Another Brexit Bus moment……and look how that ended without people bothering to look at the facts
…then there’s the witch hunts…..

You have to remember that it's William that's the Duke of Cornwall now not Charles.

If we're going to seize these properties then what about the rest eg the Duke of Westmister (who also doesn't appear to pay inheritance tax). There are lots of estates around are we setting a size limit or a limit based of value? Or is it just people we don't like that we're taking properties of?

I think it’s just those that have money ( they’ve done what they can so far with private school kids so rubbing hands for the next victim )

Off with their heads 😉

In that case can we take the assets of city lawyers and accountants (parasites).

Im afraid the posts above demonstrate a lack of understanding of the issues . And btw , the Duke of Westminster may avoid inheritance tax by putting his holdings in a trust :m- anyone can do that . But tristd are subject to regular tax .

William and Chalres pay no inheritance tax regardless.
I don’t know how many more times that can be set out for you

.
Simple question @SavingTheBestTillLast Have you watched Dispatches ?

If all of William’s rental houses that failed inspection were listed I think we’d hear by now . And as a tenant put it - putting in heating is not impossible even in listed houses but William would rather do a PR photo op .

@BigFatLiar I don’t know what you are talking about . City workers are subject to the law re tax .