Inheritance tax, property, and public money: Our first billionaire king have some tough questions to answer
The recent furore surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the timing of a three-part documentary series on royalty, 'What's the Monarchy For?', couldn't be more prescient. With half of Britain's population questioning the monarchy's relevance, an octogenarian David Dimbleby, whose own broadcasting privilege is hereditary, presents a landmark audit of royalty.
The Dimbleby dynasty's involvement with the royal family is reminiscent of Netflix's relationship with the Beckhams. However, the BBC's latest series takes a different approach. Former director general Greg Dyke suggests the corporation should reflect public opinion on the royal family, which is currently hovering around 50%. This series, therefore, focuses on the monarchy's wealth, a topic that has been largely avoided.
The documentary's editorial decision to split the series into episodes about power and money is criticized. The power episode revisits political moments, including Boris Johnson's proroguing of parliament, while the money episode reveals the monarchy's financial secrets. The Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, massive wealth portfolios, are highlighted, along with their tax evasion. The episode also discusses the monarchy's lack of inheritance tax and voluntary income tax.
The series fails to address key issues, such as the monarchy's financial accountability and the increase in royal secrecy. It also doesn't delve into the issue of royal wills, which are protected by an act of parliament. The King's wealth is estimated to be nearly £2 billion, boosted by land and property value increases.
The documentary also overlooks the late Queen's financial sources and the peppercorn rent Prince Edward pays for Bagshot Park. It doesn't mention the Andrew-Epstein scandal or the Duke of York's refusal to leave the Royal Lodge. The series' failure to address these issues highlights the BBC's own impotence.
The third episode, focused on image, avoids discussing Martin Bashir's interview with Princess Diana, which exposed the BBC's journalistic failings. The book 'Dianarama' by whistleblower Andy Webb suggests the BBC is still dealing with its failure to act on Bashir's modus operandi. The series' lack of new information is partially explained by the corporation's Achilles heel.
The momentum for royal overhaul lies with young, angry outsiders, not the establishment. The series concludes by emphasizing the need for real change, which cannot rely on the monarchy to reform itself. The series airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Tues, Dec 2nd, at 9 PM.
