Prince William visited a farm charity in Angus despite concerns over his landholdings
The heir to the throne has been accused of “hypocrisy” and using a visit to a Scottish charity as a “PR exercise” for the royal household.
Last week Prince William, the Duke of Rothesay, visited Angus as part of a short tour of Scotland.
The prince, whose father is King Charles, visited two community-led organisations that are helping to tackle rural isolation and loneliness.
First was a visit to East Scryne Farm near Carnoustie for a roundtable hosted by the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies). The charity works throughout the UK to address the attitudes and behaviours to farm safety and poor mental health in the next generation of farmers.
Following this, he travelled to the local Carnoustie and Monifieth Men’s Shed to hear how the organisation is helping men and women build a sense of community and learn new skills.
But those opposing the Royals have spoken out about the visits, which they say show the hypocrisy of the royal family.
A Channel 4 Dispatches documentary in 2024 found that properties owned by the royal household - including some farmland properties - do not meet basic safety, hygiene or energy standards.
The Prince of Wales received an annual private income of more than £23.6 million from the Duchy of Cornwall in 2023, which includes urban developments, historic buildings, farm land and areas of great natural beauty.
Tristan Grayford, treasurer of Our Republic, said: "This visit is the latest in a tried and tested PR effort by the royals - displaying support for charities whose work they actively oppose in the running of the royal household and its properties.
“From Charles’ claims of environmentalism and the carve-outs his household secured to environmental regulations, to protestations they care about working people whilst ensuring that tenant's rights don't apply to renters in their own properties.
“Almost two years into Charles' ‘modernisation’ we have seen nothing but more of the same. Contempt for the concept of equality under law, contempt for whatever does not benefit their family alone, contempt for the people who can see the hypocrisy with their every visit.
“William and his family don't care about the safety of farm workers. They do care about the PR exercise they've been raised into from birth, and farming material for the coterie of ‘royal correspondents’ who act as their unpaid marketing managers in the press."
Kensington Palace was contacted for comment.
