Prince William has been making some changes to the Duchy of Cornwall.
William inherited the impressive estate from his father following Queen Elizabeth II's death, as it provides a source of income to the heir to the British throne. Understandably, William appears to be putting his stamp on the 700-year-old estate, including making changes to the personnel on his payroll.
For instance, the Duchy of Cornwall's annual report revealed that the prince decided not to rehire Queen Camilla's sister Annabel Elliot in her role as an interior decorator.
After King Charles III married Queen Camilla in 2005, he employed Elliot as the chief designer of his estates, per People. The queen's sister had an impressive tenure working at the Duchy of Cornwall, but the decision to part ways wasn't negative.
"Sources confirmed that Prince William would no longer employ Ms. Elliot, although it was no reflection on her work," The Telegraph reported. The source added that Elliot had worked on a plethora of Charles' properties in locations such as Cornwall, Wales and the Isles of Scilly, and her expertize had been valued. Elliot is respected as "an internationally renowned interior designer, decorator and antiques dealer," according to her official website.
Elliot was apparently hired by the Duchy of Cornwall without needing to compete with any other applicants for the role, according to People. At the time of her hiring, external applicants weren't invited to bid on contracts at the estate, the publication noted.
It was previously reported that Prince William was considering turning some properties in the Duchy of Cornwall's portfolio into housing for unhoused people. "The duke is interested in finding ways to help alleviate the homelessness situation in any way he can," a source told The Telegraph in 2021. It's unclear whether William is still pursuing that option, but it's clear the prince has a passion for social justice.
