The English newspaper The Guardian accused yesterday King Charles III Taking money from the dead to renovate his houses. This is all due to the fact that since 1399 the King or Queen of England has received what they need to pay private expenses from the possessions and income of the Duchy of Lancaster, an area that covers much of the northwest of England Great Britain. Brittany. According to a medieval rule that is still valid today, the sovereign’s income also includes the goods and assets of those who died in the duchy without leaving heirs or wills. The mysterious custom is called “bona vacantia” and is used in the European republics today by states that requisition unoccupied goods without the possibility of discussion.
King Charles, the magnificent reception at Buckingham Palace: from the look to the menu. Kate exudes divine honor with the Queen Mother’s tiara, while Camilla in red pays homage to Elizabeth
COST
The problem, as the Guardian discovered, is that the money Charles takes from the dead is not donated to charity, as was the case in the good times of Elizabeth’s reign, but is instead used primarily for property renovations of buildings owned by the king belong, which in some cases is even the case. Cases are rented out and can generate higher income after renovation. In the last 10 years, Bona Vacantia has generated sales of more than £60 million and is managed by Elizabeth until 2022 and by her son Carlo last year. According to the Guardian, some insiders admitted that this money was considered “free money” in the Duchy or a “slush fund” to be used “secretly”.
An internal regulation introduced in 2020 called “SA9” authorized the duchy’s administrators to renovate buildings using the deceased’s money. It states that the funds must be used for the “public good” to repair, restore and maintain the Duchy’s properties classified as “heritage heritage”. However, the Guardian’s analysis suggests that around half of the Duchy’s property assets could fall into the property categories permitted by the ‘SA9’. Properties that the funds can be used for include terraced houses, holiday homes, country houses, farm buildings, a former petrol station and barns, including a barn that was used to hatch pheasants and partridges in Yorkshire.
However, the internal regulation emphasizes that the use of the funds must not benefit the king: “The primary intention of the expenditure must be the preservation and protection of the substance of the property and any benefit to the privy purse (the sovereign’s private income).” ) conflicts with this purpose.” Buckingham Palace did not comment, but a spokesman for the duchy said that after his mother’s death, Charles had approved the continuation of a policy of using funds from “bona vacantia” for “the restoration and repair of buildings to use those that are suitable for protection and order”. Preserve them for future generations.
THE RULES
To many observers it seems unlikely that Charles III. will use the dead people’s money to renovate his houses and collect more from the rent. The duchy is administered by a prominent government member appointed by the Prime Minister. Oliver Dowden, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, is in office today and should notice when the rules are broken. It was he who allocated the king an income of 26 million pounds from the duchy for 2023, which must be enough for his private expenses. Fortunately, he no longer has to think about Harry’s family, who fled to America, and William, who as heir to the throne now has the income of the Duchy of Cornwall, whose money he can also receive from the dead. Until the reign of George III. The king had to use the proceeds of the Duchy of Lancaster and the possessions of the Crown Estate to pay all expenses of the state, including war expenses. It was then decided (1760) that the revenue from the royal estates should go to the government, which in return would guarantee the crown an annual “stipend”. The system has changed over the years but is essentially still in place. Charles agreed to reduce the share of royal property income he receives from the Treasury from 20% to 15%, believing he had sent a good signal. However, given these allegations, that may not be enough.
Read the full article
on Il Messaggero