William and tax on the Duchy of Cornwall

[GardenDancing]

I keep reading that William doesn’t declare the amount of tax he pays on the Duchy of Cornwall. Apparently Charles did when he was Prince of Wales and sources say that William is paying appropriate tax, so why do you think he declines to be as transparent as his father was? I understand he isn’t obliged to share it, but people seemed annoyed and suspicious that he isn’t. If he’s paying appropriate tax like we are told, which I’m presuming is true, why wouldn’t he just share that to stop people speculating?

Here's a thought...
Perhaps William is paying more tax than KC3 did.
And so perhaps William doesn't want to embarrass his father by declaring it.
And perhaps William doesn't believe, as is his right, that his private tax bill should be in the public domain.
And why is no one asking why the Dukes of Devonshire or Buccleuch or Westminster or any if the other mega rich individuals publish their tax payments?

And why is no one asking why the Dukes of Devonshire or Buccleuch or Westminster or any if the other mega rich individuals publish their tax payments?

Because they have legal tax obligations they have to follow. HMRC will chase them up if they decide to pay nothing.

William isn't comparable to private citizens. Even exceptionally rich ones. He's one of two people in the country legally exempt from taxes specifically because of his position in the RF.

People are perfectly entitled to ask why the status of revealing the amount of tax paid by the incumbent POW has changed.

I am amused by the notion that William might be paying more and is embarrassed by that. I've heard it all now! 🤣🤣

Duck! There's a low flying pig!

Nailed it.

And by extension W must be waiving that publicly trumpeted stonking £10k a year charity rental income just to embarrass his grasping Papa 😂

It amused me too. Another one that is just too honourable. He’s actually paying so much tax that he just can’t admit to it. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Desperate.

The parliamentary select committee will be looking into the running of the Crown Estate and matters arising from that, fairly soon I believe. I think that some transparency is definitely required, and I hope they do look at the Duchies too.

That’s interesting.

Let’s hope that at some point. paying tax on this is mandatory. It’s absurd that William is exempt when the Duchy earns him 20 odd million per year.

He isn’t declining to do anything. The Duchy finances are part of a much bigger picture, the whole lot needs reviewing and greater transparency introduced. I expect he knows that and when he’s King we will see if he follows through. In the meantime take it up with those who control the finances as a whole and actually have the power to make change.

Charles and William are at the centre of it all. They could push for change, they choose not to.
And William declining to declare his tax (unlike his Father who has done so for a very long time) indicates to me, there will be no change but more secrecy I would think.

Not sure I agree, hasn’t William insisted on paying market rate for their lease on Forest Lodge, and only taken a 25 year lease?

I think he’s looking to be more fair and transparent but let’s face it, everyone with money protects it using whatever tax provisions work for them. He won’t be alone in trying to keep as much of his own money as he can.

Yes of course, it will leak out that William did this. It's what we don't know that is well hidden.

He might well be protecting his personal money, yes we all do it, but the pressure is hardly on is it? His children will always be provided for. Unless any of them do a runner like Harry. Him and his family will always be cushioned and hardly needing to invest in an ISA !

I don't see him being transparent at all. The non disclosure of his tax tells me that.

Here’s a clue: We are their subjects. That is all you need to know about their attitude and how much they feel the need to humour us.

They can say and do whatever they like. Throw a bone to the prostrated masses from time to time. It’s distasteful but the truth is they are so far “above us” that they don’t have a care about how they come across. They are untouchable.

Incorrect: most people are called citizens
https://www.gov.uk/types-of-british-nationality/print

Since 1983, few people have been eligible to be British subjects: it's a small specific category
https://www.gov.uk/types-of-british-nationality/british-subject

The Duchy finances are reviewed annually by the Public Accounts Committee, so I'm not sure if this committee would have a mandate to do that.

The Sovereign Grant accounts are reviewed by the National Audit Office.

Perhaps it would be better if they all came under the same body for review?

People thinking of themselves as subjects is probably not helped by the proposal for the public to stand up at home and swear allegiance to Charles at his coronation on telly 🤣

It received the derision and backlash it deserved!

They backtracked pretty quick

Really? Who suggested that?

Don't you remember it? I do because I was incensed!

Lambeth Palace and I presume Charles. There was a right hoo haaa about it. It was met with much derision!

The original proposal
In a break with tradition, the initial plan was to replace the "homage of peers"—where only hereditary peers would kneel and pay homage—with an invitation for the general public, as well as the congregation at Westminster Abbey, to join in a "chorus of millions" declaring their allegiance.
Lambeth Palace said it hoped people watching the coronation at home or in public venues such as parks would say the words: “I swear that I will pay true allegiance to your majesty, and to your heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God.”

Charles blamed the Archbishop of Canterbury... I doubt a public statement like that would be made without Charles's say so

Yes I remember this too. The King should be swearing allegiance to us, not the other way round. As should Parliament.

Don't you remember it? I do because I was incensed!

No - genuinely missed it. Work was crazy round that time.

I think I vaguely heard about it some time later and assumed someone was winding someone else up.

That's daft. That didn't happen even for the late Queen, in a much more deferential age.

I remember it, the oddness of thinking that the average person would want to make that declaration and in such a solemn way. It reminded me of standing for the National Anthem in the cinema, and I wondered if Charles's advisers were aware we don't do that now.

I know!

However it was suggested and whoever thought this would be a go-er needed their head read!
I was imagining people stood to attention at their telly in the kitchen or people in parks in unison and laughing at the absurdity! We are just not like that, although I imagine some would have done it anyway!

I remember this nonsense all too well. The blame was accepted by that wriggling toady Welby but I have no doubt C3 had his fingerprints all over it too.

Interestingly it was the first time this 'Homage of the People' was to have been inserted yet I seem to recall heated discussions about various nonsenses at the time being 'tradition' and therefore getting a pass.

I can sort of understand it being a well intentioned attempt at inclusiveness, encouraging people to feel like participants in the ceremony from wherever they were in the world. If they’d chosen any other mechanism it might have been a rather lovely idea. A pledge of allegiance though…

I think it was the rather naive thought of people making homage 'in voice' in their own homes in front of a breathless Auntie that made it the target for mockery and derision but how that couldn't have been foreseen in an age where deference had been in short supply for at least 40 years is beyond me.

Yes, that I can see as a concept (the attempt at inclusiveness) and I can see why they changed the wording in the service (now I've had a chance to look) from 'Homage of Peers' to 'Homage of the People', especially as there were so few peers at the ceremony and so many others (especially BEM awardees).

But the idea of people standing and pledging aloud really doesn't work.