Royal estates face £10 million energy efficiency upgrade costs

King Charles III and Prince William face estimated costs exceeding £10 million to upgrade energy efficiency across their private royal estates. The financial pressure stems from new UK government regulations requiring rented homes to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least ‘C’ by 2030.

An investigation into approximately 700 energy certificates across the Sandringham Estate, the Duchy of Lancaster, and the Duchy of Cornwall revealed that 630 properties fail to meet the proposed standards. Specifically, 99 percent of rented houses at Sandringham, over 90 percent in the Duchy of Lancaster, and approximately 80 percent in the Duchy of Cornwall have ratings of ‘D’ or lower.

Failure to comply could result in fines of up to £30,000 per property. While the estates generate an annual income of roughly £50 million, the scale of necessary renovations for over 1,200 rented houses is significant. Royal spokespersons stated a commitment to addressing tenant issues and improving efficiency, noting that the Duchy of Cornwall has spent £11 million on housing improvements since 2022.