The British Crown posted profits of 1.34 billion in its latest annual report.

LondonUnlike that of the Spanish royal family, which closed 2024 in the red, the financial health of the royal The British economy is better than ever, which is the same as saying it's almost always been. This is evident from the annual accounts of the Crown Estate, the financial arm of the monarchy, which was released this Tuesday. Annual net profit ending March 2025 was €1.34 billion, similar to the previous year.

The House of Windsor receives 12% of the profits from the Crown Estate to finance its operations, which is called the Sovereign Grant. This set of properties and land includes large urban areas (part of London's West End), agricultural land, forests, coastlines, and seabeds in the United Kingdom. Its total value exceeds £16 billion and covers more than 7,000 properties. The profits it generates are transferred in full to the British Treasury.

Crown Estate profits have more than doubled in the last two years, largely due to the enormous growth in the wind and renewable energy industries. As the legal owner of the seabed around England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Crown Estate is responsible for auctioning this property for the construction of offshore wind farms.

Under this percentage, Charles III will receive €153 million for the period 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, part of which (€106 million for both periods) will be used to complete the renovation of Buckingham Palace. Of the income received in the previous three years from public funds, €60 million was used to cover day-to-day costs and another €40.3 million was used to cover the palace's renovations. There were also special items for the burial of Queen Elizabeth II (2022) and the ceremony coronation of 2023.

In addition to their percentage of Crown Estate profits, the King and his heir will also receive at least €27 million and €26 million respectively over the next two years from the traditional Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall. Both duchies are historic estates (showers) that generate private income strictly for the British royal family. Although they are Crown properties, they are not part of the Crown Estate, and their profits are not transferred to the Treasury but go directly into the pockets of Charles III and William.

The millions that the head of the monarchy and his heir receive through these two archaic institutions have recently been heavily criticized, following an investigation by The Sunday TimesThe newspaper reported late last year that both Charles III and Prince William have made significant profits in recent years by leasing royal land to public bodies such as the NHS (National Health Service), the army, and the Ministry of Justice. From the NHS for renting an ambulance depot; £43 million for leasing Dartmoor Prison to the Ministry of Justice; from public schools. Prince William has seen his income from the Duchy of Cornwall reduced slightly because he lowered some of his rents following criticism of the investigation. The Times.

Advertising and transparency exercise

Since 1993, the announcement of the British monarchy's figures has been a publicity moment that attempts to convey an image of transparency and, also, austerity on the part of the royal family. The nine carriages, some of which date back to the 1980s, have been an emblem of the British monarchy since Queen Victoria first used them in 1842. Last year, just two routes operated using this means cost almost €90,000, compared to €30,000 for the nine-day official trip.

King Charles III's visit to Australia and Samoa for the Commonwealth summit cost the British government around €472,600, although traditionally such expenses are covered by the host country. The total cost was €1.89 million, including 141 flights that cost €560,800. Charter flights amounted to €706,700, commercial flights to €148,500, and conventional train tickets to around €105,600. Buckingham Palace, spending around €2.17 million this year, for a cumulative total of €2.6 million. Energy expenditures have also increased. The cost of electricity has tripled since 2021: from €944,000 to €3.07 million. They have soared: salaries amount to €35.3 million, two more than last year, and more than €7 million since Charles acceded to the throne. Spending on cleaning and celebrations has also increased from €4.95 million to €5.55 million. The gender pay gap is 2.2%, much lower than the national average.