King Charles makes solo outing in Sandringham amid royal estate controversy
King Charles appeared in high spirits on Sunday morning as he stepped out to attend a service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.
He was photographed greeting Reverend Canon Paul Williams, with the pair shaking hands before making their way over to the church. Other snapshots, meanwhile, showed Charles smiling and waving to the public.
For the autumnal outing, Charles, 75, wrapped up warm in a caramel hued woollen coat which he wore layered over a smart suit. He attached a red poppy to the lapel of his winter garment, and rounded off his outfit with a polka dot tie in red and white.
The monarch attended the service without his wife, Queen Camilla. The pair recently returned to the UK after their historic 10-day tour of Australia and Samoa which culminated in a spa break in India.
Charles's solo outing comes after fresh details regarding his private estate - the Duchy of Lancaster - were brought to light in a new investigation carried out by Channel 4's Dispatches and the Sunday Times.
Their investigation claims that King Charles and Prince William's private estates - The Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall - have received millions of pounds of income from contracts with public bodies and charities.
The investigation found that properties rented out by both duchies are in breach of basic government energy efficiency standards.
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It reported that 14% of homes leased by the Duchy of Cornwall and 13% by the Duchy of Lancaster have a performance rating of F or G, despite it being against the law for landlords to rent out properties rated below an E since 2020.
Responding to the claims, a Duchy of Lancaster spokesperson said: "The Duchy of Lancaster operates as a commercial company, managing a broad range of land and property assets across England and Wales. It complies with all relevant UK legislation and regulatory standards applicable to its range of business activities."
They continued: "The Duchy has made a number of key environmental improvements in recent years, delivering a significant increase in the number of A+, A and B EPC ratings awarded to our properties as a result of refurbishment or restoration works.
"Currently, over 87% of all Duchy let properties are rated E or above. The remainder are either awaiting scheduled improvement works or are exempted under UK legislation."
Elsewhere, the investigation alleges that the Duchy of Cornwall has received at least £22 million since 2005 from a share of rents paid on Camelford House. It also claims that the Duchy of Lancaster is receiving £11.4 million as part of a deal with Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust to store its fleet of electric ambulances in a warehouse.
In response to the investigation, a Duchy of Cornwall spokesperson said: "The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate with a commercial imperative which we achieve alongside our commitment to restoring the natural environment and generating positive social impact for our communities.
"Prince William became Duke of Cornwall in September 2022 and since then has committed to an expansive transformation of the Duchy. This includes a significant investment to make the estate net zero by the end of 2032, as well as establishing targeted mental health support for our tenants and working with local partners to help tackle homelessness in Cornwall."
