Prince William Tours the Duchy of Cornwall — Weeks After Plans to Sell 20% of It Emerged
After a night of football, Prince William visited Cornwall on Thursday morning amid reports of a possible sale.
Recently, Prince William was in Turkey for the Europa League’s final match and ended the night by emotionally celebrating his favorite team, Aston Villa’s win over Freiburg. Despite the intense adrenaline rush, he was back to business on Thursday morning with a special visit to Nansledan in Cornwall to see the progress of the growing sustainable community being developed there by the Duchy of Cornwall. This visit came amid reports of his plans to sell a portion of the property over the next decade for an incredible cause.
In Cornwall, William toured plans of the upcoming Market Street development, which will be a major infrastructural upgrade for the region. It will mark one of the first newly built high streets of its kind in more than a century. Expected to finish construction in 2028, it will provide a commercial space to local artisans, independent businesses, and community enterprises.
Nansledan has fast grown into a thriving mixed community, with a heavy focus on green spaces and environmental sustainability. The development includes around 900 homes, a primary school, an office space, a community centre, and more than 40 local businesses. William also visited Nansledan’s first Build-to-Rent Homes, where he met with residents and heard about their experiences living there.
After King Charles's ascension to the throne, William not only inherited the title of Prince of Wales but also became the Duke of Cornwall. As the future monarch, he took control of the Duchy of Cornwall, a sprawling estate that was created in 1337 to provide an income to the heir of the throne. And now, recent reports have suggested that William aims to sell 20% of the land over the next ten years to help fund new housing, environmental, and renewable energy projects. The sale of the property could raise a whopping estimate of $670 million, as per The Times.
Even after a hectic two days, the Prince of Wales still has a lot on his plate this week, most of it revolving around the projects funded by the Duchy. On Friday, he is scheduled to visit St. Mary’s aboard a new pilot boat, John Guy, which is a vessel sponsored by the Duchy and named after a long-time Duchy colleague. He will also visit Isles of Scilly Hospital, where he is expected to meet with staff and patients as part of opening a new extension to increase healthcare across the island in an initiative backed by the Duchy. William reportedly also plans to visit 10 nearly completed sustainable houses built to help ease housing storage. As part of the project, the homes will be provided to longtime island residents and local workers. The houses will include solar panels and electric car charging access, with residents expected to move in by winter this year.
William hadn’t seemingly recovered from Aston Villa’s thrilling victory the night before. Sporting the team’s colors, the ardent soccer fan showed up in Cornwall wearing a striped blue shirt and a bright red tie. He completed his ensemble with a dark blazer and matching trousers.
