Backlash at King’s £11m bill for NHS to park ambulances
The King is under pressure to refund the cash-strapped NHS after it emerged he is charging one trust at least £11.4 million ($22m) in rent to store a fleet of electric ambulances.
An investigation found the private estates of both King Charles and Prince William make millions of pounds from the NHS, the Armed Forces and charities.
Land and property owned by the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall is also rented out to schools, mining companies and big businesses, among others.
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Documents show the duchy is earning £830,000 ($1.6m) a year from renting the two-storey warehouse to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London.
Dennis Reed from campaign group for the elderly Silver Voices said: “I think it is disgraceful actually, given the NHS is under so much pressure, for the Royal Family to charge for ambulance parking and other NHS uses. (It) sounds rather like a money-grabbing activity. And I would hope because of the publicity there will be a rethink in the Royal Household.”
The investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and the Sunday Times examined the land and properties the two leading royals own through the duchies.
It identified 5410 landholdings, mineral rights and properties held by the Duchy of Lancaster, on the King’s behalf, and the Duchy of Cornwall, for the prince, and then examined business agreements and leases linked to these plots.
It found the duchies impose levies for the right to cross rivers or dump waste in them; offload cargo on to the shore; run cables under their beaches; operate lifeboats, and even dig graves.
The Duchy of Cornwall also receives rent for Dartmoor Prison, with the Ministry of Justice paying £37.5million.
Charities have paid millions to rent a 1960s office block in London.
They include Macmillan Cancer Support and Marie Curie Cancer Care, where Charles is patron.
The investigation also found private residential properties rented out by both duchies fail to meet minimum energy efficiency requirements.
The Duchy of Lancaster said: “The day-to-day management of the portfolio is the responsibility of the Council and executive team.”
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
The revelations come just days after it was revealed the King had withdrawn Prince Andrew’s living allowance and cut all “financial ties”.
