Prince William, who is headed to South Africa for the fourth Earthshot Prize, is faced with brutal criticism as details of his earnings from private estates were revealed.
The annual eye-watering earnings of King Charles and his heir to the throne were exposed in a new report by The Sunday Times, according to which the royals are earning “millions” off the “backs of their subjects”.
King Charles has been a lifelong advocate of saving the planet, meanwhile, William aims to find solutions to tackle climate change with his 10-year Earthshot plan.
However, despite the noble efforts, the royals were dubbed “selectively green” as their personal properties fail to meet the ’empty’ claims they have so publicly made.
“When it comes to environmentalism, royal estates appear to be selectively green,” royal correspondent Tom Sykes noted in The Daily Beast. “Investigations reveal that 14% of Duchy of Cornwall properties and 13% of Duchy of Lancaster properties have dismal energy ratings (F or G).”
According to EU Energy Label, F and G are the least efficient in the classes. With new labels (such as A+, A++, A+++) introduced in 2021, the most influential and powerful individuals talking about climate change not jumping to energy efficient means comes off as somewhat hypocritical.
Sykes pointed about that renting the properties “is technically illegal under current energy standards.”
He remarked, “Apparently, speeches about the environment don’t quite extend to ensuring their own properties meet basic efficiency rules.”
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Duchy of Lancaster, Charles private estate, said the organisation complied “with all relevant U.K. legislation and regulatory standards.”
As for Prince William’s Duchy of Cornwall spokesman maintained it was merely “a private estate with a commercial imperative,” and emphasised “our commitment to restoring the natural environment and generating positive social impact for our communities.”
The news comes as William is set to reach Cape Town, South Africa, to kick off the Earthshot Prize week.
