King Charles and Prince William are facing heat once again over their private estates as new report raises questions over their double standards.
Both the monarch and his heir are major supporters of protecting the environment, which also includes their advocacy for using cleaner energy.
However, an analysis by The Guardian has found that the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, and also Sandringham estate, have failed to meet the “legal minimum energy standards for landlords.
Charles had the Duchy of Cornwall under him when he was the Prince of Wales. He inherited the Duchy of Lancaster four years ago after his ascension and passed Cornwall to William.
The report claims that there are more than 100 homes on the inherited royal estates with low energy standards. The large sample of domestic found that one in five have Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings of F or G.
“The revelations are likely to be embarrassing for Charles and William, both of whom have cultivated reputations as environmental advocates,” the report noted.
“Since 2020, it has been illegal to rent out properties with EPC ratings below E, unless the landlord can demonstrate that it is exempt. In the majority of failing royal rentals, no formal exemption has been cited.”
Dozens of farmers are living in poorly insulated and hard-to-heat farmhouses they lease from the two duchies. There are gaps in the regulations of tenancy, which the landlords appear to have been misusing.
Journalist Nick Sommerlad accused that the change would be long overdue for many tenants. He cited one frustrated tenant, “This place is not up to the standards of the 20th century, let alone the 21st. It’s archaic. It needs to be upgraded but I don’t think they want to spend the money.”
2026-08-18 15:50:00
