The surprising properties Kate Middleton and Prince William have inherited from King Charles III

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published 1 October 2022

Following the death of the Queen and King Charles III's ascension to the throne, Prince William has inherited the Duchy of Cornwall and all the properties associated with it from his father, making him and Kate Middleton the biggest private landowners in Britain.

Prince William inherited the Duchy of Cornwall from his father and all the private land that comes with the title, making him the proud owner of some £1.2 billion worth of property
Some of his new acquisitions are unsurprising, but others are a bit more out of the box
In other royal news, Meghan Markle has shared Archie’s heartwarming after pre-school ritual

It has been a whirlwind time for Prince William and Kate Middleton since King Charles III ascended to the throne; the pair have become the Prince and Princess of Wales and inherited the responsibility that comes with those titles, their children have started new schools and as parents they have had to coach their youngsters through loosing their beloved gam-gam.

Adding to this, William has also inherited the Duchy of Cornwall from his father, making him the biggest private landowner in Britain and adding the pressure of managing £1.2 billion worth of property to his already packed schedule.

As well as the expected castles and land, Prince William has inherited some more surprising acquisitions alongside his Duchy, including a garden centre in Devon.

The Duchy of Cornwall garden nurseries near Lostwithiel, Cornwall, UK

The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, originally established to serve the nearby estates, opened its doors to the public as a garden centre in 1975. As well as housing a vast selection of plants ready to be brought and planted by green-fingered visitors, a café boasting views of the River Fowey Valley and the 13th century remains of Restormel Castle, sits on the grounds.

Once visitors have explored the the walking trails and children's play area, a family-friendly attraction Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are sure to enjoy, they can finish their visit with a stop in the centre's gift shop that was designed by the Queen Consort's sister, Annabel Elliot.

As well as The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, other properties now in the possession of the Prince and Princess of Wales include King Charles' beloved Highgrove Estate, which he bought in 1980 and previously lived in with Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry.

So, Prince William is now his father's landlord which may make for some awkward family dinners.

Another unique inheritance, built among the Duchy's 70,000 acres of land in Devon sits the the category C prison, Dartmoor. As reported by Hello!, the prison currently holds 640 prisoners and has previously held some of the UK's most dangerous criminals, including Frank Mitchell 'The Mad Axeman', who escaped with the help of Ronnie and Reggie Kray in 1955. That vase your grandparents left you isn't looking like such a 'unique' inheritance now is it?

Other unusual new properties in Prince William's portfolio include the Oval Cricket Ground in Kennington, the Isles of Scilly, an island located off the Cornish coast, and Nansledan, a 540-acre housing development in Newquay which follows King Charles' vision of architecture and urban planning.

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Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a news writer for Goodtoknow, specialising in family content. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.