Why Prince William’s Bold Duchy Plans May Spell Disaster For Harry and Meghan Markle
While Prince William's recent move will uplift a section of society, it will have a rather opposite impact on his dear brother, Prince Harry.
Prince William, from the very beginning, made it clear that he would reform the monarchy once he became King, but it seems like he is already making the rounds well before taking over the throne. The Prince, in the recent turn of events, shattered centuries of royal tradition by announcing he would sell off a fifth of the historic Duchy of Cornwall, worth £500 million (around $670 million) in the next 10 years. The decision is not driven by any selfish motive; he aims to extend a helping hand to the homeless and combat environmental crises. However, while the move will uplift a section of society, it will have a rather opposite impact on his dear brother, Prince Harry.
Hailing William for his decision, royal expert Jennie Bond added, “I think this is a powerful example of William putting his money where his mouth is." In a conversation with Mirror, she continued, “He has talked about change being on his agenda, and now he is proving that he’s willing to shake things up in quite a dramatic way.” Chief executive of the Duchy of Cornwall, William Bax, added how William aims not to be like any other traditional royal, using the resources just for himself, and thinks the duchy “shouldn’t just exist to own land. It should first and foremost exist to have a positive impact on the world.”
Bax elaborated, “He says he wants to be more than a traditional landowner. His goal is to prioritize things that will make people's lives better. William is all about impact and tangible results.” While Bond was all praise for William for leading by example, another royal expert, Richard Eden, speaking to the Daily Mail, divulged how William's decision is a snub to Harry. "No one will have read William's announcement this week more closely than the Duke of Sussex, who was always envious of his brother's position of heir to the Duchy of Cornwall and future king," added the expert.
Richard opined that while King Charles has been softer on Harry, William's move made it clear that he 'will take a much harder line with Harry and Meghan when he's king,' as shared by one of the former's friends. Additionally, many also thought that William's move to sell the Duchy affected Harry's inheritance, but that is not the case. Asset protection expert Gideon Alper told Hello, "People assume the Royal Family's wealth works like a standard estate, but constitutionally, most royal assets are held for the institution - not the individual. That means they aren't passed down like a normal family inheritance."
Explaining the royal dynamics shared, "Prince Harry didn't lose an inheritance [as] he simply never had a claim to institutional assets designed to support the monarchy. His private inheritance was already settled years ago." Alper continued, "The goal isn't fairness between siblings; it's the continuity of the institution. The heir is funded to carry the role, while other family members are financially independent through private arrangements."
