Did Prince William Earn 21 Million During The 4-Week Break? What We Know

Not everything is known about the British royal family. Haven’t we all wondered how royal family members sustain themselves? Whether they get money from personal estates or the government allowances, such questions have often struck us, haven’t they?

Many have often argued that a large chunk of taxpayers’ money is used to pay the expenses of the royal family. A post claiming that Prince William earned 2 million pounds (approximately Rs 21 crore) in just four weeks is going viral.

The X post claims, “Prince William took 4 weeks off, during which he received £2m, but it’s ok because he went to a Food Bank for a few hours. Food Banks that wouldn’t exist if we didn’t have billionaires who steal all the money.”

The post is referring to the hiatus the Prince of Wales took following his wife Kate Middleton’s cancer announcement. He returned to his royal engagements on April 18 by visiting Surplus to Supper, the food bank. This post has gotten 1.4 lakh views since it was shared on June 22.

The real speculation about whether Prince Williams earned Rs 21 crore in two months is hard to answer in straightforward terms. However, it is important to make clear that he does not get paid via taxpayers’ money. The Duchy of Cornwall, a private estate established in 1337, pays Prince Williams. The estate covers 52,449 hectares of land which has residential and commercial properties, farms, and coastline.

The portion of revenue from this estate is used to fund all charitable and private activities of the Duke of Cornwall, the title held by the eldest son of the reigning British monarch. Currently, Prince William holds this title. After him, the estate will pass down to Prince George. Since 2015, a rule change insists that the monarch’s eldest child (regardless of gender or sex) would inherit the Duchy of Cornwall.

According to The Daily Guardian, in 2023, Prince William received a private income of nearly 6 million pounds (approximately Rs 63 crore) out of the earnings from the Duchy of Cornwall. As per the website of the Duchy of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales pays income tax on his earnings from the estate. Interestingly, he has chosen to pay the tax voluntarily as he is not mandated to do so.