Everything changed for the royals when King Charles took the throne, it’s being said (Image: Getty Images)The past few years have brought significant upheaval for the Royal Family – particularly King Charles and Prince William.
The monarch and his eldest son have witnessed their roles transform dramatically within the Firm, with Charles ascending to King following his mother’s death in September 2022 and William becoming the Prince of Wales.
When William became heir to the throne, he inherited the title of Duke of Cornwall along with responsibility for managing the extensive Duchy of Cornwall estate. He also succeeded Charles as the Prince of Wales.
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Charles had previously overseen it for more than 50 years during his time as Prince of Wales and took tremendous pride in its achievements.
During an ITV documentary, Prince Charles: Inside the Duchy of Cornwall, audiences witnessed Charles open up in an unprecedented way – revealing how a remark from his eldest son about the estate moved him to tears.
Charles overheard William speaking to a farmer and his thoughtful words brought him to tears (Image: Getty Images)In one segment, viewers watched William speaking with second-generation farmer Mervyn Keeling about his private estate.
William, contemplating the future at that moment, said: “I’ve started to think about how I will inherit the Duchy one day and what I do with it. I think it’s really important, the family angle, I really do.”
Audiences were then presented with footage of Charles, who pondered the exchange between his son and the farmer.
William’s words brought his father to tears of joy
He responded: “When I saw it, I couldn’t believe it. I was deeply touched and moved by what he said.
“Frankly, it reduced me to tears. It did, really. Because, I suddenly thought, well, just hearing that from him has made the last 50 years worthwhile.”
Currently, after assuming the role of Duke of Cornwall, William has embraced complete ownership of the Duchy of Cornwall – and is starting to leave his personal imprint on it.
Last February, William unveiled strategies to construct housing on Duchy of Cornwall property to address homelessness across South West England.
Charles talks about the moment in a documentary
Partnering with Cornish homelessness organization St Petrocs, the initiative will deliver 24 residences in Nansledan, Newquay, featuring “wrap around support” for area residents facing homelessness to establish a pathway toward permanent housing. The creation of “high quality temporary accommodation that feels like home” is scheduled to commence in September with the initial residences anticipated to be finished by next autumn, per an estate announcement.
The creation of “high quality temporary accommodation that feels like home” is scheduled to commence in September with the initial residences anticipated to be finished by next autumn, per an estate announcement.
The Duchy of Cornwall represents a collection of land, real estate and investments worth over $1 billion, generating revenue for the heir to the throne.
During a newspaper interview last year, when William was questioned about plans for affordable housing on his Duchy of Cornwall property, he responded: “There is. Absolutely. Social housing. You’ll see that when it’s ready.”