Royal Family news: Queen facing ‘significant’ monarchy crisis over Charles tenants’ revolt | Royal | News (Reports)

The three crucial royal estates are expected to be exempted from a reform which will see leaseholders in England being given the right to extend their leases up to 990 years without paying any ground rent. This exemption, however, could hugely upset tenants in the three areas linked to the Royal Family – the Crown Estate, the Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall – who may continue to face rising rents.

Royal finance expert David McClure, author of the Queen’s Worth, said: “The real problem with the new legislation is it doesn’t apply to the Scilly Isles, where the major land-owner is Prince Charles’s Duchy of Cornwall.

“In the last ten years or so there have been many complaints from tenants saying the rents are too high.

“Or it is too difficult for us to get an extension of the lease or it is impossible for us to buy up the freehold.

“That means their property is much less valuable. 

“And it should be remembered that last year the Duchy made £22million in profit, which all goes to Prince Charles and in the last 20 years the profits have gone up by almost £10million.

“So, put crudely, the Duchy of Cornwall is Prince Charles’s cash cow.

“Some tenants in the Scilly Isles say the Duchy of Cornwall is doing this purely to make money.”

Mr McClure added these exemptions are unlikely to be challenged in the Houses of Parliament, saying “any legislation affecting the Queen cannot be criticised in the House of Commons”. 

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Appearing on MailPlus’s Palace Confidential, he added: “I fail to understand why a leaseholder in the Isles of Scilly should not have the same rights as those on other UK islands.

“Surely it is time we brought all of these affairs into the 21st century.”

This sentiment was echoed by Richard Eden, the Daily Mail Diary Editor.

Mr Eden drew a parallel between this Government’s legislation and the House of Lords Act 1999, which saw the abolition of hereditary peerage during Tony Blair’s first legislature. 

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Mr Eden said: “This is an absolutely fascinating story. It sorts of gets to the heart of the monarchy.

“It reminds me of the row when Tony Blair abolished the hereditary peers or most of them, and the Royal Family actually started to get very nervous.

“Because they thought – wait a minute, if we are abolishing the rights of someone who inherits a seat in the House of Lords because of an accident of birth, what repercussions could this have for the monarchy.

“And it’s the same with this.

“Our Conservative Government is bringing about quite a radical reform actually, to reform a system that has been with us since the Middle Ages. 

“It was actually brought in to help fund the Crusades by barons who needed some new money and it has stayed ever since.

“It was exported around the world but now it is still in use only in Britain.

“And it affects one in five households across Britain, apparently, I read, which is incredible if true.

“It really is quite significant and I think that although we have read reports this week that there is going to be an exemption for the Royal Family and that is particularly because of the Duchy of Cornwall – which is a vast area of land, I do think it’s a problem, I think they shouldn’t have an exemption because they do need to move into the modern world, however painful that is.” 

Approximately 4.5 million households in England and Wales own their homes on a leasehold basis and pay annual ground rent to the freeholder of the property which grants the right of the homeowner to live there.

At the moment, leaseholders of houses can only extend their lease for 50 years once and pay ground rent.

Flat owners can do so multiple times with a peppercorn rent for 90 years.

The Duchy of Cornwall, which is owned by Prince Charles, said: “The Duchy of Cornwall takes great care to ensure that anyone purchasing a property where the freehold belongs to The Duchy is made completely aware of the restrictions that may apply.”

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8.15am update: Meghan Markle brought ‘charisma’ to royal family and made Harry ‘better man’ author says

Meghan Markle brought a certain “something” to the Royal Family “that is no longer there,” a royal expert has said.

The Duchess of Sussex has also turned Prince Harry into a “better man”, the analyst claims.

Meghan, along with Harry, left their royal roles behind last spring and currently reside in California.

Sean Smith, a royal biographer, has said Meghan brought a “great deal of charisma” to the Royal Family which is now missing following their departure.

In addition, Mr Smith has said that Prince Harry’s time in the Armed Forces – which included tours of Afghanistan – “was the making of him”.

However, speaking to the Daily Star, he added: “His service career turned the boy into a man and his partnership with Meghan Markle has turned him into a better man.”