‘Stop and reflect': Prince William makes major change after facing ‘media scrutiny'
Prince William will stop charging rent to certain charities after facing criticism following an investigation into the huge sums of money made by his private estate.
A collaboration between Channel 4's Dispatches and The Sunday Times revealed last year that the Duchy of Cornwall, which provides the Prince of Wales with a private income of nearly£23 million (A$48 million) a year, was imposing rents charities and community groups including village halls, school playing fields, and the fire service.
Addressing the change in rent policy, the duchy's new secretary and keeper of records, Will Bax, said that it would be 'remiss not to address the media scrutiny' they had experienced in recent months.
'We've used these challenges as an opportunity to stop and reflect, both the duke and I are clear that we want the duchy to be world class in our approach to supporting people, communities and nature to flourish and to realise that aim, we must operate and communicate in a modern, socially-minded way,' he said.
'It's clear we've entered an era of deep change, but we change, not because we disrespect our past, but precisely because we do respect it.'
Under the new system, direct tenants who are grassroots groups will have their rents waived, while local charities could have their rent reduced by half.
While government departments will continue to be charged rents, the duchy said it was reviewing the amount charged to state schools.
The Duchy of Cornwall has traditionally provided the heir to the throne with a private income, while the Duchy of Lancaster does the same for the monarch.
While the King, who was the previous Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall, publicly shared the voluntary tax he'd paid on the estate, William has declined to do so. His private secretary, Ian Patrick, confirmed only that he 'pays the highest rate of income tax'.
The profit from the duchy funds the public, charitable and private activities of William and his wife, the Princess of Wales, as well as their three children: Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 6.
The Wales' donate vast sums of money to charities and volunteer groups, which last year included initiatives associated with supporting the victims and families of the Southport knife attacks.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
OnlyFans ban leaves sports world divided as cricketer's promotion move blocked
English fast bowler Tymal Mills' bid to promote his OnlyFans account has been denied as T20 tournament The Hundred setting a new precedent in individual advertising. Mills, who plays for Southern Brave, announced he joined the adult platform last week and was looking to promote his account while playing in the tournament by having the platform's logo on the back of his bat. Sponsorships on the front and back of cricket bats has become the norm over the last decade. But any sponsorship often has to be first cleared by the tournament body. And while that is almost always approved, Mills' request was rejected by the England and Wales Cricket Board, which banned him from promoting the website at the crease. understands the request was denied on the grounds that the cricket body felt it didn't align with the brand values of 'The Hundred'. OnlyFans is a subscription site largely known for its adult content. But Mills insisted his content was 'completely safe' and was just a side hustle to supplement his income. The left-arm quick explained his content would give subscribers 'a closer, more personal look into life as a professional cricketer'. He is also hardly the first sportsperson to go down that route with Aussies such as boxers Ebanie Bridges, Cherneka Johnson and motorsport star Renee Gracie seen promoting their OnlyFans while competing. Many athletes have begun to use the platform as an opportunity to grow their fan base and give fans an otherwise unseen glimpse into their lives. And for some, not only has the subscription-based service seen them make a second income, but it has also allowed them to retire comfortably. That was the case with former UFC superstar Paige VanZant. In an interview with Barstool Sports, VanZant estimated she made more money in one day on the subscription platform than she did in her entire fighting career. 'I definitely have. I'd say when I made the switch to OnlyFans, there's a lot of stuff I've done in my career and I've been really fortunate my career even outside of the UFC and outside of fighting has been pretty successful,' VanZant said. 'I've worked pretty hard in other industries and trying to cross over to more of a mainstream personality. But yes, OnlyFans has definitely been my largest source of income, I would say combined, in my fighting career. 'I think I've made more money in 24 hours on OnlyFans than I did in my entire fighting career combined.' While VanZant shares racy images and videos on the site, in the case of Mills, he says none of his content is explicit, and that it is solely a platform for him to share more about his cricket life, in a similar move to that of Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, who shared similar material when he joined the platform last year. 'The conversations first started about a year ago, so I read up, held conversations and did my due diligence. I hadn't quite realised how big the company was,' Mills told the UK Telegraph. 'They're trying to get into football, get Premier League footballers on the platform. They're doing well with smaller sports like surfing and skateboarding, individual sports. 'I'm the first cricketer, and they're trying to get into team sports. It's ground zero in that regard, and I'm very excited. I want to be brave.' Mills has been informed he will not be able to display any OnlyFans promotion on his bat or any of his cricket gear, which has left the sporting world divided. 'Good. It is not family-friendly, so shouldn't be allowed,' one fan wrote in response to the news Mills' proposal had been knocked back. While another added: 'I'm glad that didn't get the green light'. But others didn't see a valid reason for it not to be allowed, stating it is no different to allowing the advertising of betting companies. 'How is it any different to other sponsors on bats?' one commented. 'OnlyFans isn't just a website for purely sexual gratification. You can use it and not be affiliated with the porn industry,' another added. A third wrote: 'How is this worse than promoting stuff like gambling, ridiculous decision'. Despite its success to date, OnlyFans continues to work to shift the public perception and become far more than a site just for subscribers to view X-rated content. And as Sports stars continue to look to diversify their income sources, more and more begin to join the site. But the reality is, while it is still largely known as a site full of X-rated content, any move from an athlete or sporting tournament to advertise it will likely still raise more than a few eyebrows.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Zelensky in London to meet PM ahead of US-Russia summit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with ally UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday ahead of a key US-Russia summit in Alaska. Zelensky was to arrive at 9:30 am (0830 GMT) at Downing Street, the prime minister's office said, after Starmer on Wednesday maintained there was now a "viable" chance for a Ukraine ceasefire. US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin will meet Friday at an air base in the far-northern US state, the first time the Russian leader has been permitted on Western soil since his February 2022 invasion of Ukraine which has killed tens of thousands of people. A stepped-up Russian offensive, and the fact Zelensky has not been invited to the Anchorage meeting Friday, have heightened fears that Trump and Putin could strike a deal that forces painful concessions on Ukraine. Near the front line Thursday, Ukraine fired dozens of drones at Russia overnight into the early morning, wounding three people and sparking fires including at an oil refinery in the southern city of Volgograd. Kyiv calls the strikes fair retaliation for Moscow's daily missile and drone barrages on its own civilians. With such high stakes, all sides were pushing hard in the hours before Friday's meeting. - Three-way meeting? - Zelensky, who has refused to surrender territory to Russia, spoke by telephone Wednesday with Trump, as did European leaders who voiced confidence afterward that the US leader would seek a ceasefire rather than concessions by Kyiv. Trump has sent mixed messages, saying that he could quickly organise a three-way summit afterward with both Zelensky and Putin but also warning of his impatience with Putin. "There may be no second meeting because, if I feel that it's not appropriate to have it because I didn't get the answers that we have to have, then we are not going to have a second meeting," Trump told reporters on Wednesday. But Trump added: "If the first one goes okay, we'll have a quick second one," involving both Putin and Zelensky. Zelensky, after being berated by Trump at a February meeting in the White House, has publicly supported US diplomacy but has made clear his deep scepticism. "I have told my colleagues -- the US president and our European friends -- that Putin definitely does not want peace," Zelensky said. As the war rages on in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky was in Berlin Wednesday joining Chancellor Friedrich Merz on an online call with other European leaders, and the NATO and EU chiefs, to show a united stance against Russia. Starmer on Wednesday said Ukraine's military backers, the so-called Coalition of the Willing, had drawn up workable military plans in case of a ceasefire but were also ready to add pressure on Russia through sanctions. "For three and a bit years this conflict has been going, we haven't got anywhere near... a viable way of bringing it to a ceasefire," Starmer told Wednesday's meeting of European leaders. "Now we do have that chance, because of the work that the (US) president has put in," he said.
News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
Premier League has no say on delay over Man City charges, says chief exec
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said his "frustration" at waiting for a verdict in a series of financial charges against Manchester City is irrelevant as the case is in the hands of an independent hearing. The Premier League issued more than 100 charges against City in February 2023 related to alleged breaches of its financial rules and with allegedly failing to co-operate with the subsequent investigation. The case was heard by a commission between September and December last year but no decision has been published. The issue continues to hang over the league as the 2025/26 season gets underway this weekend, but Masters said his organisation has no control over when a verdict will be reached. "Once the allegations, the charge has been put forward, they go before an independent panel, which is independently selected, and they are then in charge of the process and its timings," Masters told Sky Sports News. "They hear the case, they decide the outcome, and we have no influence over that, over it or its timing. "And that's right, if you think from an independence point of view, that there is independent people making those decisions, and we just have to be waiting. "My frustration is irrelevant, really. I mean, I just have to wait, and legal processes rarely take less time than you anticipated, but we have to be patient." City deny any wrongdoing and have said they have a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" to clear their name. But if they are found guilty, they could face a range of punishments, including a severe points penalty, or even be kicked out of the Premier League. City were charged with failing to report accurate financial information for nine seasons stretching from 2009/10 to 2017/18, as well as failing to provide full details of former manager Roberto Mancini's pay between 2009/10 and 2012/13. They are also charged with failing to provide full details of remuneration in contracts with players between 2010/11 and 2015/16, and with failing to co-operate with the investigation over a period from 2018 to 2023. Since an Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008, City's fortunes have been transformed on the field from also-rans to the dominant force in English football. Eight of their 10 top-flight league titles have come since 2012 and they also won the Champions League for the first time in 2023.
