Prince William and Princess Kate moved into their ‘forever home’ in Windsor last November, signaling a major shift in not only their personal lives but also their royal duties.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have already taken some unconventional steps in how they conduct their affairs, but the couple had to give in under pressure when they revealed a crucial detail about their living arrangements.
It was revealed in a report by The Times that the future king and queen are paying £100,000 more than the previous tenants for their annual rent (around £300,000).
According to official documents filed with the Land Registry, William and Kate signed a 20-year lease on the property back in July. However, this is the first time the details have been made public, an unprecedented move for the royals.
A royal commentator believes that William and Kate would not have wanted to reveal this particular detail about their home, but were forced to take this step after the ‘peppercorn rental’ of the many royals was revealed.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh also pay peppercorn rent. However, the most irritating fact that had triggered the tax-paying Brits was that the disgraced ex-Prince Andrew paid no rent at the Royal Lodge either.
Meredith Constant pointed out that the reports put pressure on William, especially when the profits from the Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall, which go directly into the pockets of the king and his heir respectively, were revealed in a documentary.
She claimed that after the reports, it sparked many changes in how the royals present their portfolios. It’s all “designed” to make William look like a “more transparent ruler who listens and learns”.
