On Sunday morning, King Charles attended a service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, looking cheerful as he greeted Reverend Canon Paul Williams.
Photos captured the monarch, dressed warmly in a caramel wool coat over a suit, complete with a red poppy on his lapel and a red-and-white polka dot tie, smiling and waving to onlookers.
The 75-year-old King was unaccompanied by Queen Camilla, as the couple recently returned to the UK following a historic 10-day tour of Australia and Samoa, concluding with a spa retreat in India.
Charles’s appearance comes amid recent scrutiny of his private estate, the Duchy of Lancaster, and the Duchy of Cornwall, which Prince William inherited. A new investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times claims the royal estates have earned millions from public body and charity contracts.
The report also highlighted energy inefficiencies in properties leased by both estates, with 14% of Duchy of Cornwall properties and 13% of Duchy of Lancaster properties allegedly falling below the minimum energy efficiency rating required by law since 2020.
In response, a spokesperson for the Duchy of Lancaster clarified that it operates as a commercial entity adhering to UK legislation, emphasizing recent environmental upgrades to increase energy-efficient properties. Currently, over 87% of Duchy-rented properties are rated E or above, with plans to improve remaining properties or exemptions as permitted by law.
The investigation also alleged financial gains for the Duchy of Cornwall from Camelford House rentals and reported that the Duchy of Lancaster benefits from a contract with Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Trust for storing electric ambulances.
Responding to these claims, the Duchy of Cornwall stated its commitment to environmental and social impact initiatives, with Prince William actively pursuing a transformative strategy to make the estate net zero by 2032 and providing targeted mental health support and anti-homelessness efforts in Cornwall.
