Prince William’s Duchy of Cornwall Faces Fresh Backlash as Farmers Say ‘Put People First’
Farmers on the Devon land have raised concerns about Prince William's private property portfolio shake-up, which will impact their livelihood.
Prince William's pursuit of social change and environmental efforts may have gone a bit too far. Several farmers on the Devon land, which is part of the Duchy of Cornwall, have raised concerns about his plans to sell ten of their farms as part of his private property portfolio shake-up. Interestingly, the Duchy states that the sale is intended solely to 'maximize social and environmental impact,' leading to a heated row with its residents, who rely on it for their livelihoods.
A report by The Times claimed that William's surprise announcement has left communities with connections to the Bradninch estate fearing for their future. A farmer revealed that he would not be able to buy his farm without burdening his family with 'generations of debt.' He added, "Having a landlord [in Prince William] who is supposedly that focused on mental health, the amount of stress and anxiety amongst the farmers and tenants is through the roof." Meanwhile, Josh Palmer, a retired surgeon who speaks for the farmers' shoot, stressed that the duchy had a "long history of conservation and good stewardship, which will be lost if it is sold piecemeal to the highest bidders."
Against that backdrop, another farmer pointedly remarked that King Charles did a much better job handling the duchy than his eldest son. They scoffed, "About three weeks ago, the duchy had one of its annual tenant meetings where they described the duchy and tenants as a family and said what a good position the duchy is in, with lots of money to invest," adding, "Three weeks later, and this news came as such a shock." Similarly, another tenant pointed out the irony in William's concern for homelessness and mental health, alleging that the farmers were having 'sleepless nights' because of his so-called decision.
After a furious protest from communities, who warned the Prince of Wales against putting 'profits before people,' William Bax, chief executive of the duchy, released a statement. He asserted that the duchy had always bought and sold land, but had now partly rationalized the structure to 'maximise the social and environmental impact.' He continued, "Some areas of the duchy have less potential for long-term impact, and the sale of Bradninch is about enabling further investment in our heartlands where we see great social and environmental need," arguing that it had no commercial intent.
In the past, William's team has released similar damage control statements after getting into spats with the Duchy of Cornwall's residents. He became the Duke of Cornwall in 2022, taking over management of the duchy after Charles ascended the throne. The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate that dates back to 1337, when King Edward III created it for his son, Prince Edward. According to the original charter, the title of Duke of Cornwall is passed down to the monarch's eldest son and heir to the throne, granting the Prince of Wales sole ownership.
