Prince William’s plan to sell up to 20% of the Duchy of Cornwall has triggered a fierce backlash from tenant farmers facing the choice to buy their holdings or leave.
Up to 40 farm holdings across Devon, Cornwall, Herefordshire, and the Midlands face disruption under the ten-year strategy. The sell-off kicked off with the 1,215-hectare (3,000 acres) Bradninch estate in Devon, where talks over nine farms left tenants experiencing distress
.
Tenant farmers who planned to pass their livelihoods down to their children now find themselves confronting properties worth millions of pounds. I thought this was something that could never happen,
a tenant farmer told The Observer. There was always an understanding that we had a home for the rest of our lives.
Mary Ryan, a former general practitioner who has lived in Bradninch for 36 years and is aiding the residents, accused the Prince of hypocrisy for promoting urban homelessness initiatives while creating rural turmoil and potentially displacing families. Her husband, John Palmer, a retired surgeon, described a pervasive sense of abandonment among residents and questioned whether William acted as an owner rather than a temporary custodian.
William inherited the 135,000-acre portfolio in 2022 from his father, who maintained close ties to the local agricultural community by knowing farmers by name, joining the local shoot known as the Bradninch Rabbit Clearance Society, and engaging in local traditions.
Following public outcry, Prince William apologized to tenants after reportedly being unhappy with reports of the estate’s handling, having consulted with rural director Matthew Morris to determine the proper course of action. Morris subsequently visited Bradninch to meet with residents and admitted underestimating the time needed for the large-scale disposal, while reaching an agreement with tenants to permit new independent valuations jointly instructed by both the occupants and the duchy.
Tenant Farmers Association chief executive George Dunn noted that poor communication left tenants facing prolonged uncertainty over valuations, timing and the options available to them
. Once a family is told that its long-term relationship with the Duchy may change permanently, that uncertainty lives with them 24/7,
Dunn told the BBC.
The landed estate, which covers around 51,800 hectares and was established in 1337, aims to raise funds from the decade-long sell-off to invest in tackling the nature and climate crises, addressing homelessness, and supporting local communities.
The portfolio is being consolidated around five geographic heartlands, including the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Dartmoor, Bath, and Kennington in south London, as chief executive Will Bax stated that the organization should not simply exist to own land but deliver positive impacts.
Morris maintained that the estate remains committed to agriculture, pointing to initiatives such as the Regenerative Farm Business Tenancies, starting with Monkhall Farm. Eight out of nine farming tenants in Bradninch and approximately two-thirds of residential tenants are currently in active discussions regarding the opportunity to purchase some or all of their properties, with all sitting tenants offered first refusal before any wider sale.
A Duchy spokesperson said the organization is taking a case-by-case approach. Supporting them through the process with care and respect,
the spokesperson stated. We recognise that these are important and deeply personal decisions.
