Prince William’s plan to shake up his property empire points the way to a slimmed-down monarchy more in tune with public opinion and with fewer “hangers-on”, like his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie, royal experts told The i Paper.
The Duchy of Cornwall is selling one-fifth of its land and investing £500m in housing and environmental projects over the next decade, after the prince decided the private estate “shouldn’t just exist to own land”.
Some experts believe it shows William is shrewd about adapting archaic royal finances to the modern world.
But cynics say William’s reforms amount to a money-making exercise. Describing the Duchy as a “royal fruit machine”, they argue that the prince will be keen to preserve current financial arrangements on behalf of the Royal Family.
It comes as MPs prepare to debate the future of the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant and scrutinise royal housing following outrage over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s cosy living arrangements.
