If it's true that we are paying the PoW 1.5 million a year rent for Dartmoor prison...

[CurlewKate]

...among many other things, do you think that's OK? If so, why?

Are the Royals paying tax on the income though, the same as everyone else would have to pay?

This is great journalism from The Times.

But no landlord is obliged to give NHS discounts; even though, given the area it is quite possible that did happen in this case

Yep. Not even the King.

No doubt if the Duchy gave a discount, we would know about it.

There's a museum in the dairy buildings.

This is just ONE example. And you are welcome to defend it in a measured way, which is what you are doing.
There are far more issues here than the £11M charged to the NHS for garaging Guy's ambulances. That is just one tiny part of the Dispatches programme and the article I linked.

I always wonder if I've totally misunderstood the royal family. I'm not a historian - if anyone is, please could you correct my understanding!

Historically there have always been wealthy and powerful landowners. At the very top of this tree are the royal family. They are very wealthy.

At some point, the Royal family relinquished actual ruling powers and responsibilities. They are no longer responsible for defending the country (ie paying for the armed forces). Instead, a huge amount of their land/properties were declared the Crown Estate, which brings in hundreds of millions a year. 88% of this goes to the government and 12% goes to the monarch. This is how the monarch fulfils their responsibility towards the country. They don't "owe" us any more.

Other land is just private, same as other wealthy people own land/property. They should be held to account the same as any other landowner/landlord. They should not be expected to cut the NHS any special deals, but they obviously shouldn't be screwing the NHS over.

What they charge our armed forces to train on their land stinks too.

Sounds a bargain to me!

Technically, all money belongs to the Royal family in the UK. Why do you think it's got their face on it? All tax goes through His Majesty's Revenue and Customs.Now in reality that's not how we use it, or how it's seen, but I'm staggered that people don't know what the CROWN ows. (Crown Estates for example). Let alone the Duchy of Cornwall.

Who's armed forces? Or let's put it another way who is in charge of "our" Armed Forces?

Not relinquished power. Just devolved it down to parliment. Hence why a new PM has to be accepted by the head of state. (King). Any war has to be agreed by the head of state.

So you think the scheme was a secret and he did not know anything about it before inheriting?
And 2 years is not enough time to take some action?

It's pretty nominal though. If they didn't do what they were told it would be the end of the monarchy and they know it.

That doesn't mean we have to be respectful to them or participate in the charade that they are caring and benevolent.

Here's a bit from The Telegraph article on that issue.

One tenant.

And curtsy and bow to them when they walk into the room, and refer to them as Your Royal Highness, or what ever other feudal titles that persist in 2024, that they insist on being addressed by.

Of course he'll have known about it. He's a leeching parasite like the rest of them. How he has the nerve to wring his hands about homelessness and how the King has the brass neck to whine about inequality is beyond me.

Exactly.
Why do people still do that? It's deranged.

It is interesting to me as foreigner here for 18 years to see that English people are only finding out and getting outraged by this in 2024

Highly recommend this book

The hypocrisy is eye watering. The Times also reports their extensive income from mining rights. I wonder what their impact is on the environment and how that can be reconciled with William’s apparent passion for green issues? They could make such a change to this country if they wanted but really the royals are about maintaining a public image whilst protecting their immense wealth and continuing to take from the poor masses. All this while lecturing us about being greener, helping the homeless and tackling inequality. It is shameful and I would like to see more scrutiny on this.

.

@LittleHangleton the Crown Estate owns millions of pounds worth of property and is administered by an independent trust. Although nominally these are properties and lands held by the Monarch going back to 1066, the profits go to the government and are used to fund the country, save 15% which is paid back to the RF as the sovereign grant. The Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall are the King and heir's private income.

The Times also reports their extensive income from mining rights. I wonder what their impact is on the environment and how that can be reconciled with William’s apparent passion for green issues?

Watch the Dispatches programme... from 19 minutes onwards it covers this in great detail and it is shocking.

Personally I think they should be hit with a massive wealth tax and we should see a significant redistribution of their assets back to the state. Why not- it’s not as if they have earned what they hold and frankly it is unjustifiable for one family to take such a massive proportion of the land and rights in this country.