Before Prince William took over the Duchy of Cornwall estate from his father, he insisted, “I’m not going to rock the boat when it’s my turn… just a few tweaks here and there.”
But the heir has upset King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla by firing her sister, Annabel Elliot, after almost two decades of service!
“Sources confirmed that Prince William would no longer employ Ms. Elliot, although it was no reflection on her work,” The Telegraph reports.
PRINCE WILLIAM MEANS BUSINESS
The Queen’s younger sister has been the chief designer for the Duchy empire ever since Charles hired her in 2005, shortly after he married Camilla, 77.
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Over that time, Annabel has earnt hundreds of thousands of dollars for her design work on the Duchy’s rental properties, offices and plant nursery, along with renovating its holiday cottages across Cornwall, Wales and the Isles of Scilly.
But in only his first year in charge of the Duchy’s $2.6 billion portfolio, William, 42, has shown that he means business, starting with cost-cutting. And it’s paying off with the Prince reportedly taking home $30 million this year.
Of taking Annabel, 75, off the payroll, sources say William believed her “work across the estate is considered complete and the current staff have learned sufficiently from her.”
But while his move may be pleasing his accountants, his step mother is less impressed.
“William’s relationship with Camilla has always been one of caution, but since the King’s diagnosis they’ve become closer than they’ve ever been. Which is why it’s a shame he had to do this because it has caused some tensions between them and given his father a headache,” says the source.
Charles, 75, controlled the finances of the Duchy of Cornwall until the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022, but now that it’s out of his hands and in the control of his heir, there’s little he can do to appease his sister-in-law.
“Camilla now has her own plans to take care of her sister, but it’s a mess she didn’t appreciate having to clean up.”
FEARS FOR THE FUTURE
And it seems Charles and Camilla are keen to keep Annabel on the payroll in any capacity they can.
The King and Queen recently hired her to oversee improvements to the restaurant and visitor’s centre at Balmoral ahead of its public unveiling, while sources claim Annabel will continue to work for the royals when there are “appropriate opportunities”.
The source adds: “The ruthlessness of William’s decision has made Camilla, and even Charles to some extent, fearful of what might happen after they’re gone and William’s in the hot seat.
“He’s a lot tougher than his dad and even his late grandmother. He’s obsessed with ‘efficiency’ and also avoiding scandals, including nepotism.”
