Duchy of Lancaster Theft

[Roussette]

Just when I thought I could not be more taken aback at some of the practices undertaken by our Monarchy, and the sheer greed.

I then read this article. Bottom line.... anyone who dies intestate in Lancashire, and parts of Merseyside, Grtr Manchester, Cheshire and Cumbria... their assets are scooped up by the Duchy of Lancaster who has collected more than £60M over the last 10 years. Not charity as is the norm.. but into the pocket of our King You need to read the article to see what he actually does with it and how it benefits his personal income.

The article explains it well and will answer any questions and queries about it.

Someone yesterday accused me of 'despising' the RF. I disagreed but I am beginning to wonder if that poster was right. Especially when I read something like this.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/23/revealed-king-charles-secretly-profiting-from-the-assets-of-dead-citizens?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

While it's good advice to write a will. Some people won't or can't. So regardless of the fact it is better to have one, for those that don't, we should have a discussion about where that money ends up. Which is what this thread is about.

its a repeat of a thread earlier in the week, no need to link posts, the last thread was the same.

I doubt they will care if they are dead.

Okaaay.... we all better walk away then! Given that a couple of the articles are since the beginning of the week, I think it is alright to carry on!

@Novella4 I was being rude. Blame my meno brain for having very little patience.

I suppose at least this thread is in the correct board

Taken from today's article...

The charities the duchy gives bona vacantia revenues to, the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund and Duchy of Lancaster Jubilee Trust, have also built large endowment funds, worth £18m and £26m respectively
Both charities’ accounts state they aim for an annual return of £500,000 from their investments, and benchmark the success of the bulk of their stock investments against the FTSE All-Share Index, an index that includes companies such as Shell, BP and British American Tobacco

Wow I never knew this, I'd rather the assets went back to the government and any houses were then handed to the council for social housing. Surely thst is far better tha what it is now. ⅔

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/25/kings-estate-transfer-cash-ethical-funds-bona-vacantia-revelations

So for those of you justifying this practice - looks like the powers that be have now realised it can’t be justified and are now rethinking …

This is just about where they invest, there is no change to the collection of bona vacantia or how they spend it.

So if a lot of the receipts are in the final quarter of your financial year, for example, they will only have been earning interest for a couple of months, not a full year.

That's a desperate stretch.

Even if as you speculate the bulk was received in the last couple of months of the financial year £10m should still have been generating a few thousand a month even at say 0.5%.

There is only one way to reform the ‘royals’ exploitation of bona vacantia . Stop the ‘royals’ exploiting this feudal remnant now . Let the state manage it all
Now that would be some PR .
I won’t hold my breath

The charities the duchy gives bona vacantia revenues to, the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund and Duchy of Lancaster Jubilee Trust, have also built large endowment funds, worth £18m and £26m respectively

Those are small for charities, to be fair. GOSH has £500m or thereabouts, and the Wellcome Trust has an investment fund of £38 billion!

That is exactly what should happen AFAIC

Regarding costs and where the money goes:

Remaining monies from bona vacantia are applied to the costs of Palatinate administration and any historical obligations, including allocations for future liabilities and the cost of processing enquiries and managing claims. After these costs have been deducted, the balance is distributed among the registered charities set up with Queen Elizabeth II’s consent, specifically:

• The Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund – established in 1993 to benefit a wide range of charitable associations and community organisations operating within the County Palatine
• The Duchy of Lancaster Jubilee Trust – established in 2001 to support the maintenance and preservation for the public benefit of heritage assets across the Duchy estates
• The Duke of Lancaster Housing Trust – incorporated in 2007 to provide affordable housing for rural communities.

Note that the 'Duchy of Lancaster Jubilee Trust' is for maintenance to properties that belong to the Duchy. So even out of the 3 'charities', one benefits him and the Duchy estates, which he makes money/rent from.

Good on Charles for acting quickly to change things now that the anomalies between the Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall have been highlighted.

I won't bother reading the full report, just reading a few headlines and the excerpts posted here, it is '5 minute news' and the issue has now been rectified anyway. In all likelihood, it will be mostly forgotten about by early next week when Scobies' book is released.

Again, you don't seem to be understanding what is being discussed. The issue has not been rectified, you are misunderstanding completely. The article posted about the announcement pertains to where they invest the money from the Duchy. This thread is about them both taking bona vacantia, and also then with the Duchy of Lancaster, using it for personal use. That has not been changed or rectified whatsoever. You really ought to read things being discussed before commenting because you're not following even when I point it out to you.

I won't bother reading the full report, just reading a few headlines and the excerpts posted here, it is '5 minute news' and the issue has now been rectified anyway. In all likelihood, it will be mostly forgotten about by early next week when Scobies' book is released.

🤣 What in god's name has a book by Scobie got to do with the Duchy of Lancaster?!
You hope! Quite obviously!

That's really amusing. (Posters who are pro the Royals fervently hoping that a book reporting on H&M stops publicity about the centuries old Duchies benefiting from deceased people's estates who live in the area covered by them!)

I’m sorry @squareyedannie Im not sure what you are referring to .

I don’t remember you being rude

The whole point of the thread messygarden is not about the non ethical investments of the Duchies. Although I am gobsmacked that had to be corrected given Charles's aims on this.

It's about a feudal bona vacantia system whereby funds of dead people who reside in the Duchies are earmarked for certain expenditure that posters on here and out in the wider world are dubious about.

it makes me feel sick Give over.

Stealing the pennies from dead men’s eyes. Wow, what a family.

what?

Can we stop calling it theft, please. The law defines what is crime and just because something is immoral doesn’t make it criminal.

Well we could call it lies ?

Or is it theft when you claim the money is going to charity - but it isn’t ?
Or is it financial abuse ?

The ‘royals’ are guilty of all 3