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A viral post claiming Prince William earned £2 million ($2.5 million or ₹2 crore) while on a month-long leave of absence has polarised public opinion. While critics of the royal family were enraged by the claim and raised cries for the abolition of monarchy on social media platform X, many more spoke out in support of the future king of England – noting that his salary is not funded by British taxpayers.
“Prince William took 4 weeks off, during which he received £2m, but it’s ok because he went to a Food Bank for a few hours,” reads a post from the X handle “@BladeoftheS”. “Food Banks that wouldn’t exist if we didn’t have billionaires who steal all the money.”
“He is not paid from the public purse,” one commenter pointed out. “Does the Royal family run your government? Where is the evidence for your claim he earned £2m over 4 weeks?” another asked.
“He might well have got £2m, but if you are suggesting it was from the taxpayers, it WASN’T. The Prince of Wales is funded solely by the Duchy of Cornwall,” an X user remarked.
Many countered this narrative by criticising the royal family’s privilege. “The royals and their blatant displays of privilege never cease to disgust me,” wrote one person.
Prince William’s salary
In late March, the Prince of Wales went on a nearly four-week hiatus from royal duties following his wife Kate’s cancer announcement.
Prince William returned to his royal engagements on April 18 by visiting Surplus to Supper, the food bank referenced in the viral post. So how much did he earn during his month-long leave of absence?
The truth about Prince William’s salary is not as straightforward as the viral post makes it out to be. In reality, his finances are closely tied to the Duchy of Cornwall.
The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate established in 1337 by Edward III of England to provide income to the heir apparent to the throne of England. The Duchy of Cornwall covers 52,449 hectares of land comprising residential and commercial properties, farms, rivers, quarries and coastline.
The revenue from this estate is used to fund whoever holds the title of Duke of Cornwall (currently Prince William). This title is traditionally held by the eldest son of the reigning British monarch, which in this case is William.
In numbers: How much does Prince William earn?
According to the Duchy of Cornwall estate’s 2023 annual report, Prince William received a private income of nearly £6 million last financial year.
The Duchy generated profits of £24.048 million in 2022-23. William would have been entitled to the entire amount, but he inherited the title of Duke of Cornwall halfway through the year 2022, after the death of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.
The future king of England could earn over £30 million this year, according to Fortune magazine.