Latest Press Release
The Prince of Wales's and The Duchess of Cornwall's Office publishes its third Annual Review
25th June 2006
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall undertook nearly 200 public engagements together in the first year of their marriage, including two major overseas tours.The figures are published today in the 2006 Annual Review, which also shows that more than 9,000 people attended events with Their Royal Highnesses at Clarence House and other Royal residences during the year, and more than 25,000 people were invited by The Prince and The Duchess to visit their garden at Highgrove.
Among the themes from the year that feature in the latest Review are: The Prince’s work to highlight the threat posed to the environment by climate change and his efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of his own Household; his work to encourage better relations between faith communities in the UK and abroad; and the celebrations to mark The Prince’s Trust’s 30th anniversary.
The Review also shows that last year The Prince helped raise, directly or indirectly, about £110 million for his 16 main charities. Duchy Originals, His Royal Highness’s organic and natural foods and products company, made a profit of more than £1 million for the third consecutive year, on increased retail sales of £46 million. All of the profits are donated to The Prince’s Charities Foundation.
As it does each year, The Review details how the work of The Prince and The Duchess is funded. Their Royal Highnesses do not receive a Civil List or a Parliamentary Annuity, but use the income from the Duchy of Cornwall to pay for their official activities, supported by The Queen’s Grant-in-Aid funding to provide some assistance with official travel, property and communications. Official costs increased by just under 0.5 per cent last year, and personal expenditure decreased by 1.0 per cent.
The Prince of Wales’s income from the Duchy of Cornwall in 2005-06 rose by 6 per cent to just over £14 million, principally reflecting the impact of commercial property rent reviews and increased investment income. The Prince chooses to spend well over half of the after-tax income from the Duchy in support of his official work.
As in previous years, the Annual Review explains The Prince of Wales’s role by breaking it down into three principal elements.
• Undertaking royal duties in support of The Queen
• Working as a charitable entrepreneur
• Promoting and protecting what is best about Britain