The Prince of Wales inherited the role of Duke of Cornwall when his father became King in 2022 and hopes to transform the ancient Duchy of Cornwall estate into a force for social change
The Prince of Wales inherited the role of Duke of Cornwall when his father became King in 2022 (Image: PA)
Prince William has set out his vision to transform the 700-year-old Duchy of Cornwall into a force for social change. The Prince, who inherited the role of Duke of Cornwall when his father became King in 2022, wants to use the ancient estate “to make people’s lives better.” On a recent visit to Duchy farmland on Dartmoor, William, 42, vowed: “We’re not the traditional landowner – we want to be more than that.” The estate – spanning 128,494 acres from rural Devon to inner-city London – was originally set up to generate private income for the royal family. But William is determined to re-write the rule book, instead using his title to push for “social change.”
The Prince’s priorities include supporting the mental health of farmers(Image: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
He added: “The Duchy has been a positive force for good, but we can do so much more. I think the key thing is, it’s about not losing the important community and historical links of the Duchy. But it’s also about making sure we’re building on and enhancing, modernising the Duchy. We’re going to modernise it without losing its key spirit of community.” The Prince’s priorities range from restoring rivers to ending homelessness, supporting the mental health of farmers and arranging get-togethers to combat rural loneliness. He has even launched a new strap-line: “Positive impact for people, places and planet.” Unlike previous generations, William has a more hands-on approach and visits part of the estate once every four to six weeks. His trips are usually private and kept quiet by loyal locals who are used to royal comings and goings.
The Duchy of Cornwall estate spans 128,494 acres(Image: Alamy Stock Photo)
In keeping with a more modern approach, rural director of the Duchy, Matthew Morris, revealed how employees “no longer feel the need to put on a tie when the Duke of Cornwall is in town.” And William shared how he communicates with the estate’s more than 150 staff via WhatsApp and asks questions over social media to keep in the loop.
When the Prince becomes King, the Duchy of Cornwall title will pass to his eldest son Prince George. The estate was established by Edward III in 1337 to generate private income for his then seven-year-old heir and takes in 20 counties across England. Despite being called the Duchy of Cornwall, its largest landholdings are actually in Devon.
William shared his vision after the property and land empire, as well as the King’s estate, the Duchy of Lancaster, were investigated by a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary: The King, The Prince & Their Secret Millions. In the 2024 programme, it was revealed how the the Duchy of Cornwall is profiting from public services.
The Prince hopes to use his title for fight for “social change”(Image: PA)
In 2017, it billed Devon county council £300,000 in a 21-year rental deal for a primary school on Dartmoor. Other deals include charging a primary school near Bath £60,000 for a 25-year lease and £189,000 to a secondary school in Cornwall over 30 years to use a farmhouse.
The Duchy of Cornwall said it is “a private estate with a commercial imperative… committed to restoring the natural environment.” The Duchy of Lancaster said it “operates as a commercial company” and “complies with all relevant UK legislation.”
