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

Everywhere else - the monarch

But this isn't the case is it? Why do people keep repeating this.

Thanks for that. I apologise. Not just intestate, but without blood relatives. I hope you accept my apology for my faux pas, I did imagine that posters would understand what I was saying, especially if they took the time to read the article.

Can we now focus on the thread and not my misdemeanour? Hope so!

I would say the people without a will and without family don’t actually care what happens with their assets so why should you. This isn’t news and it hasn’t been hidden it’s always been the case.

just write a will there are lots of charities who will do it for free.

Im more taken aback that you don’t know this to be honest. Surely it’s Common knowledge that if you die intestate it goes to the crown? It’s not a state secret.

well I just shared a story of someone who did have blood relatives, a son, but they didn't;t search hard did they? why would they. They had sold or thrown out his things before his son arrived, told via a heir hunter.

Really? thats what concerns you, that some people don't know. How did you find out? Did you realise he gets to keep it for his personal use too?

Why do people think it's ok for the monarch to use citizens assets for their private use. It blows my mind people don't mind. Would you mind if the government did this. kept the money for their party's use?

Its not free, the charities have to pay the solicitors fees!

He might also turn in his grave at his estranged son getting his property. How entitled to make a fuss about this when he clearly had no relationship with his father, didn't even know he was dead for 9 months and then only because of the heir hunters.

Disgusting. It would be better to give the proceeds to the local council to do something good with and if anyone is around to say what would’ve mattered to that person.

A tiny amount - a bench with the persons name on.
A larger amount - equipment to fund the local sports centre if they were ever sporty etc

I’ve been becoming more aware of this and read the article in the Guardian today. It’s all very well saying just make a will but we know that there are some people that for whatever reason won’t have done. The point is that in those cases even if they don’t care what happens to their assets we should care! Because why should it go towards doing up various properties for the King’s estate rather than be put in to public services or given to charities? It’s cynical & exploitative.

The kIng had no relationship with his republican father either. Interesting that you attack his son over the king who took his assets before properly searching for blood relatives.

Really can't bring myself to care about this- if people are bothered about what happens to their money when they die they should make a will.

Yes it is and its weird to me the lengths people are going to in excusing this. The fact someone doesn't have a will doesn't mean they don't care. Most of those people have very little to leave behind so the cost of the will puts them off.

Would you care if it went to the Prime Minster for their own personal use?

Iwantcakeeveryday · Today 10:12

The duchy collects these funds with the help of an elite London law firm that has been serving members of the royal family for decades: Farrer & Co.
The lawyers are partly responsible for tracking down relatives of people who die in places linked to the medieval Lancashire county palatine – an area consisting of Lancashire and parts of Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Cumbria.
However, when John Talbot first learned of the death of his estranged father, Julian Talbot, it was not from Farrer & Co. Instead, a letter was sent to him nine months after Julian Talbot’s death by an heir hunter who had managed to track him down as a person who had a legal right to his late father’s assets. For John Talbot, contact from the heir hunter meant he could make a late claim to his inheritance. But news of his father’s death came late. By the time he was contacted, the duchy had arranged for Julian Talbot’s bungalow to be cleared out: his photographs and letters – and, with them, memories – were all destroyed. Only six guitars and a Toby jug were left.
But friends say it is not possible to erase the principles that Julian Talbot stood for. A lifelong socialist who had protested at Orgreave, he was, according to friends, a trenchant republican.
He is unlikely to have approved of the notion that, had it not been for some heir hunters, his worldly belongings would have gone to the king’s estate. Ceri Hutton, a longtime friend, said: “Julian would turn in his grave if he knew
IfJulian had wanted his son to have his stuff he would have left a will and it's a bit rich of son to rant and rave about lost memories long after the event when he was so estranged from him that he didn't even know he'd died! Anyway, no, I don't agree that the RF should benefit.

@Roussette I saw this article earlier today and thought of you! Thank you for stating a thread.

I want to think I am a hardened cynic but this made me feel a bit sick. This practice is amoral, grasping and unseemly - they don't need any more money! Trawling through public records looking for people who die without wills is something I'd expect conmen to do. That sort of thing should be beneath the royal family. Turns out it isn't.

Apart from that I find the systematic, open nature of the RF's greed quite astonishing. Remember that they are one the wealthiest families on the planet. People with these character traits are not fit to represent the country in any capacity.

I can't wait for the usual royal experts to descend and flood the thread with tax and accounting law and explain that we just don't get it, that protocol this and that, that we are all just jealous and nasty and anyway look at Donald Trump etc.

Marking thread to come back to read after work

Fair point...yes that would bother me but can honestly say it going to KC doesn't and I still think people need to take responsibility for their own money.

Of course I know it goes to the State (I'm not stupid!) but that is not the point that is being made in this article.

If you don't live within the Duchies, it does not go on the renovation of farmhouses, pheasant shoots, and the like which directly benefits and gives Charles 'private income'.

Have a listen to this series of podcasts, I can’t work out how to link them properly, so this is the 4th episode in the series. Worth starting to listen from the first episode. It’s an eye opener to the secrecy & ambiguity around the wealth in the royal family https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/today-in-focus/id1440133626?i=1000611669436

Well said! And thank you... my daughter sent me the article, she's a chip off the old block she is!

But life's not like that is it? There are people in this country who have never had a passport, never had a driving licence, haven't made a will... it could be because they are impoverished and don't understand, it could be because of MH, it could be because they are estranged from their family, it could be becausse they are in a home with no family and no idea how much their estate is worth, maybe they are frightened of death and have no one to help them ... all sorts of reasons.

Of course people should make a will but it's not that simple for some.

I support our system of constitutional monarchy but that doesn't mean that I support every way things have been done over the years. I am sure there are many areas where things need to be changed that have not been looked at for decades.

This is one area where I would like to see new rules brought in, but not just for the Duchys, for money that goes to the State where there are no heirs in general. I would like to see such money specifically used for the NHS or other vital services that benefit the community. I don't want to see it used to preserve buildings whoever lives in them.

that has shocked me. i always thought that money from intestate people with no relatives went to the state, as in the government.

Why do people scream so much about things that don't effect them?
Charles has done such a lot for charity because he did have money to call on. Many charities received funds for projects, far more than was received from unclaimed inheritance. I also wonder how much found it's way to the rightfully family members because of free research done before it was declared property of the DOL or The Crown.