Ch4 Dispatches tonight about Royals making money

How ca one say in truth there has been no visible slimming down the staff?

I think the idea that Charles would start putting the royals' affairs in order was mostly a pipedream for people.

It will pass on to William, no doubt, since some believe he is just the same as any other modern family man.

Whatever happened to the 'streamlined' monarchy that Charles wanted when he was still Prince Charles?
Huge Coronation and no visible signs of slimming down staff or expenditure.

Other, bigger, countries still have royal families who live in a far more modest way have a thriving tourist industry. As mentioned before, countries with no ruling family also enjoy a thriving tourist industry.

I think the term "feckless idle" could be applied to several members of the firm.

Huge wealth should carry enormous responsibility.

The King and the Prince are not bad people but they have been immersed in feudal and capitalist culture all through their schooling and later lives. The King and the Prince don't identify with their subjects but with the global culture of the unimaginably rich elite.

MissAdventure

I think I'll moan about the phrase "feckless idle", I'd imagine.

I think I'll moan about the phrase "feckless idle", I'd imagine.

Well when they've gone, not very likely, and all their homes have been made into illegal immigrant shelters, all our history destroyed, all their lands built on with little boxes homes, even less food production, all their money spent on the feckless idle, what then. What will you all whine about then eh.
Channel four, trying to deflect from this disastrous government and its disastrous budget . Enjoy your penny off a pint.

I have no desire to see the end of the monarchy but I do think they need to be more transparent. Their wealth is always going to be a bone of contention for republicans.

I think it’s the beginning of the end for the RF, just another generation and that’s it. Sadly I won’t be around to see it.

So much about the RF that is not in keeping with a modern democracy.
As well as their exemption from Corporation and inheritance tax, and being able to submit their own income tax assessments, they are also exempt from FOI requests.
Plus "The head of state is exempt from civil and criminal proceedings, including on private assets, estates, and businesses. The King is also exempt from punishment for environmental pollution, wildlife offenses, and other green crimes".
Any new law which may impact the RF is reviewed by them and exemptions can be applied.
But, they're so good for tourism!!

Mamie

MaizieD

Allira

It obviously dates back to William the Conqueror, from whom the English monarchy is descended (though somewhat distantly...)

Over 25% of the British population is descended from William the Conqueror and probably a much larger percentage from his Companions.
Perhaps many of us could claim a piece of land.

😂

I can claim direct descent from Sir Walter Tyrell who killed William Rufus with an arrow (I don't tell my Norman neighbours this). 😂

That's wonderful! Wish I could go that far back with our ancestry :-)

I do think the programme revealed some very unsavoury things - even if they were biased and just making television.

I knew the Duchy of Cornwall owned most of Cornwall (and there was a TV programme some years ago where local people complained and said the Duchy were bullies and there were lots of issues). I didn't know anything about the Duchy of Lancaster.

No doubt King Charles and Prince William employ a host of people to run their business ventures for them and may say - nothing to do with us, we hire accountants etc to deal with it. But really it is their responsibility if they own the land.

There is a "Lord" in my area who owns an awful lot of houses in the area that are rented out. They are very low rents but the tenants are expected to do any repairs or improvements themselves. Maybe that's the case with the Duchy properties, I don't know, but they did look in bad repair. Being old houses isn't an excuses for crumbling houses!

Allira

Farzanah

Just 20 dukes own nearly a million acres of Britain.
Feudal or what?

So what do you propose should happen to this land?

Given over for more buildings, concreted over?
Given to the people so some can put down artificial grass?

Or let the present custodians carry on caring for these 1,000,000 acres while we can worry about the other 59,000,000 acres they don't own?

They could allow access for starters.

Time to get rid, me thinks.

The King and William should right the wrongs identified in the C4 documentary. At a stroke of a pen they could say ‘the Duchies will only charge a peppercorn rent to public sector services / charities’.

They should be ashamed to take rent from state schools, the fire service, NHS, MacMillan and Marie Curie, plus more. At the very least, they should stop pretending to be ‘holier than thou’ when they are actually fleecing the national coffers!

Over-privileged parasites

MaizieD

Allira

It obviously dates back to William the Conqueror, from whom the English monarchy is descended (though somewhat distantly...)

Over 25% of the British population is descended from William the Conqueror and probably a much larger percentage from his Companions.
Perhaps many of us could claim a piece of land.

😂

I can claim direct descent from Sir Walter Tyrell who killed William Rufus with an arrow (I don't tell my Norman neighbours this). 😂

Allira

^It obviously dates back to William the Conqueror, from whom the English monarchy is descended (though somewhat distantly...)^

Over 25% of the British population is descended from William the Conqueror and probably a much larger percentage from his Companions.
Perhaps many of us could claim a piece of land.

😂

Quote Grandmabatty Sun 03-Nov-24 14:26:58
The cynical part of me wonders of they knew this documentary was coming out and that's why William put out his 'How to deal with homelessness ' programme.

The William documentary covered several areas interviewing
many people, so perhaps C4 put theirs to follow William

Farzanah

Just 20 dukes own nearly a million acres of Britain.
Feudal or what?

So what do you propose should happen to this land?

Given over for more buildings, concreted over?
Given to the people so some can put down artificial grass?

Or let the present custodians carry on caring for these 1,000,000 acres while we can worry about the other 59,000,000 acres they don't own?

Farzanah

Tony Benn had the right idea.
I don’t think people realise how the Establishment became Established
It simply stole the land and property off the poor, surrounded themselves with weak minded sycophants for protection ^gave themselves titles and have been wielding power ever since.^

Tony Benn?
The Viscount Stansgate?
Who avoided (by legitimate loopholes) his heirs paying Inheritance tax on his £5 million estate?

Don't get me wrong, I did like him (and found him an inspiration in some ways) and he was a good constituency MP, but even he organised his affairs so his heirs did not pay the tax they should have on their inheritance.

Was Guy Shrubsole on the programme? He’s written books, one entitled Who Owns England.which is extensively researched.

Anniebach

Thank you Mamie, so difficult to judge such documentaries

Not when they are using factual documents which are a matter of public record. And yes, some have been redacted - the question is, why? What don't they want us to know?

It obviously dates back to William the Conqueror, from whom the English monarchy is descended (though somewhat distantly...)

Over 25% of the British population is descended from William the Conqueror and probably a much larger percentage from his Companions.
Perhaps many of us could claim a piece of land.

Thank you Mamie, so difficult to judge such documentaries

Mamie

It was interesting, but the "let's raise the tension" musical backdrop, the lack of detail about the background and expertise of some of the people making of the accusations and the complete lack of balance made me suspicious. I would like to have heard the other side of the story. This is not to say that there is no case to answer, but there was certainly insufficient evidence.

Is extremely difficult to get any evidence as was made clear during the programme, indeed those in charge of the Duchy's have appeared before the government, as was shown in the programme, and refused to give any details at all.
However, some documents were available, though many had been redacted, the details regarding monies made from charities and institutions publicly owned were available, and telling. As well as monies made from wind farms and a large quarry that is detrimental to the environment that the royals supposedly champion.
So hardly any evidence, as for those making accusations, even without their testimony the details given were damning.

Anniebach

Did the programme give details of rents paid ?

The royal family are wealthy but certainly not untouchable,

Yes it gave details of rents paid but can't remember off the top of my head would recommend people watch the programme.