Prince William and King Charles are facing criticism for allegedly profiting from charities and public services.

An investigation has claimed that King Charles and Prince William have been profiting from charities and public services.

According to The Sunday Times and a TV program titled "The King, The Prince & Their Secret Millions," the 75-year-old and the 42-year-old are quietly earning money through their royal estates, the Duchy of Lancaster and Duchy of Cornwall.

"Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Planet Chronicle Digital that the televised scandal report could lead to the Watergate scandal for the royal family, particularly Charles and William, as it claims that millions of private documents have not been publicly scrutinized."

"The new Labor Government's accountability issues are contradicted by their promise to increase transparency in companies' financial affairs."

"The British people will not accept this, as many of them are facing high costs for food and basic necessities."

"According to British broadcaster and columnist Jonathan Sacerdoti, the royal family operates within an established system, but public perceptions may shift negatively due to their exemptions from certain laws. This reflects a growing demand for transparency from all public figures, including the royals."

A spokesperson for Kensington Palace declined to comment on the investigation, while a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace stated that the Duchy of Lancaster would provide a comment.

"This could become the Watergate for the royal family, especially Charles and William. The televised scandal report [is claiming] that … millions have not publicly been scrutinized. … This will not go down well with the British people. Many are suffering from huge costs for food and essential supplies." — Ian Pelham Turner, royal expert

The monarch owns the 44,748-acre Duchy of Lancaster estate in England and Wales.

A spokesperson for the Duchy of Lancaster revealed to Planet Chronicle Digital that they oversee a diverse portfolio of land and property holdings.

"The spokesperson stated that the organization is self-financing and does not receive any public funds. They also shared that the organization publishes an Annual Report and Accounts that is independently audited and available to view on their website, and that they comply with all relevant UK legislation and regulatory standards applicable to their range of business activities."

The Duchy of Cornwall, owned by William as the Prince of Wales, is a private estate of almost 130,000 acres in southwest England. A spokesperson emphasized its private status to Planet Chronicle Digital.

"We aim to restore the natural environment and generate positive social impact while maintaining a commercial imperative as a private estate, as stated by the spokesperson," said the spokesperson.

"In September 2022, Prince William was appointed Duke of Cornwall and has since pledged to undertake a comprehensive renovation of the estate. This includes a substantial financial commitment to reduce the estate's carbon footprint to zero by 2032, as well as providing specialized mental health services to tenants and collaborating with local organizations to address homelessness in Cornwall."

According to the investigation, private estates have been receiving millions of pounds from public bodies, including the National Health Service, state-funded schools, and the British Armed Forces, as reported by the New York Post.

The program claimed that William's estate received a $78,000 payment from St John's Ambulance, a charity that the king, who is fighting cancer, supports.

The king's estate was accused of storing a fleet of electric ambulances in exchange for $14.7 million over 15 years, and it was also claimed that William's estate has charged the Royal Navy $1.3 million since 2004 to build jetties and moor warships in Cornwall.

According to The Sunday Times, a five-month investigation uncovered that the duchies are generating millions of pounds through "charging government departments, councils, businesses, mining companies, and the general public via a series of commercial rents and feudal levies on land that was largely seized by medieval monarchs."

"The Duchy Files reveal that the royals generate income from toll bridges, ferries, sewage pipes, churches, village halls, pubs, distilleries, gas pipelines, boat moorings, opencast and underground mines, car parks, rental homes, and wind turbines."

The arrangement is problematic because the royals are reportedly acting as "commercial landlords" while benefiting from a special agreement that exempts them from paying tax on their corporate earnings.

The Ministry of Justice leased Dartmoor Prison for $48 million, as reported by the investigation.

According to the New York Post, the documentary stated that both estates earned approximately $65 million from transactions in the past year.

According to British royals expert Hilary Fordwich, who spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital, the surplus income of the royals is voluntarily paid as income tax, despite what some outlets may have reported.

The royal family's unique financial privileges are under renewed scrutiny due to the revelations, as Sacerdoti told Planet Chronicle Digital.

"The Duchies' structure, being longstanding and legally intricate, seems unlikely to undergo drastic changes, as Sacerdoti explained. However, the careful balance they strike between inherited privilege and public service presents a challenge."

William is being closely watched after starring in a two-part docuseries, "Prince William: We Can End Homelessness," on ITV. In June 2023, the father of three launched a five-year project to end homelessness in the U.K.

The initiative was launched by visiting pilot projects that received grants of up to $637,000 each from the Royal Foundation, a charity supporting the work of William and Kate Middleton.

WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM ADAMANT ABOUT GIVING HIS CHILDREN A NORMAL LIFE: AUTHOR

The Duke of Cornwall, also known as the Prince of Wales, kept his tax payments for the Duchy of Cornwall's 2023-2024 financial year a secret during the summer. Despite the Duchy of Cornwall's Integrated Annual Report, which was published in July, revealing that he made $30 million in his first full year as the Duke of Cornwall, he remained tight-lipped about his tax payments.

People magazine reported that the prince's expenses, including official, charitable, and private costs, were covered by the $20 million sum, which also included expenses for his wife and children.

The Duchy of Lancaster generated approximately $35 million in revenue for the king, as reported by an additional source.

When Queen Elizabeth II passed away in September 2022 at the age of 96, she left behind an estate worth more than $1 billion, which was inherited by her son, the Prince of Wales.

According to People magazine, both estates were founded centuries ago to generate revenue for both the ruler and the heir to the throne.

"While increased transparency could help calm public concerns, the likelihood of substantial reforms is minimal," said Sacerdoti. "Charles and William may aim to refine their public messaging, highlighting charitable efforts and the long-term stewardship of these estates. However, this underscores a recurring challenge: reconciling ancient privileges with modern expectations."

The monarchy can maintain its significance in a shifting Britain by handling the tension with care, while preserving most of its traditional frameworks, according to him.

The scandal may challenge the king's ability to modernize the monarchy's image without fundamentally altering its structure, according to Sacerdoti.

"William acknowledges the challenge of inheriting an institution where public service and privilege intertwine, and he believes it may push him to shape a more transparent and egalitarian future monarchy, setting a precedent that balances tradition with the values of a new generation."

Sacerdoti pointed out that although Charles and William voluntarily pay income tax on the duchies' income, their tax exemptions and legal protections highlight the complex, privileged status of their estates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.