Duchy of Cornwall: the downlow

[Womanlywiles]

Did you know that if an individual dies without a will or descendants in the lands of the Duchy of Cornwall, that their assets go to Prince Charles? A very interesting article from the NYT.
www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/01/26/world/europe/harry-meghan-charles-duchy-of-cornwall.amp.html

Opps

www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/01/26/world/europe/harry-meghan-charles-duchy-of-cornwall.amp.html

Christ. Like he's not got enough.

And I guess he keeps what he gets?

Well, yeah. It’s called escheat. Everywhere else in the country it goes to the queen.

Ultimately, the crown or the duchy is the owner of all the land. Feudal law innit.

I would encourage a read of the article, it's pretty shocking that we still have feudal relationships such as this when it comes to hard cash and land with the RF. So many poor sods find that the Duchy controls the future of their own house and property. I am glad that the Sussexes through discussing where their funds come so openly on their website (since taken down I'm guessing) have opened this topic back up to public scrutiny.

I thought if someone died with no will, the government would eventually get their assets?

The assets aren’t just given directly to Prince Charles. They go into the Duchy, which is run as a business, in order to provide an income for the heir to the thrown.

As far as I know, Duchy if Cornwall tenants are usually quite positive about the Duchy as a landlord.

Throne

And no tax is paid on it. I still don't get why...

OK Tooley yes it goes to the Duchy but that's my point, the Duchy funds Charles! He even is writing off all his extensive payroll for the gardeners of the large gardens at his home, because very occasionally the great unwashed are allowed a gawp at his dahlias.

But, why are you so fixated on the duchy? Why is it okay for the rest of the land to escheat to the queen?

I am not fixated, this is what the NYT article was about and as we know it has become public interest more these days. I didn't say it was OK for the Queen either so you are jumping the gun. In fact I stated that it was shocking that we had such a feudal relationship with the RF when it comes to land and cash.

Same happens with the Duchy of Lancaster. IIRC in practice it goes to charity rather than funding the royal family directly.

I imagine most people would expect that money to go directly to their local community somehow rather than to the Crown.

Yep.

Depends where you die.

If no descendants can be found (and unclaimed estates are advertised www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/unclaimed-estates-list ) then it goes to the Crown.

It's called Bona Vacantia

If it's in Cornwall or Lancaster, it goes to that Duchy.

Elsewhere it goes to the Crown, who passes it to the Chancellor for general Government revenue.

Didn't know that. Is this what funds the biscuits etc?