King Charles and Prince William are in hot water after an investigation claimed the monarch and his heir made millions from charities and public services.

The Sunday Times and a TV program called ‘The King, The Prince & Their Secret Millions’ claim the 75-year-old and 42-year-old are quietly making money through their royal estates, the Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall. .

“This could become Watergate for the royal family, especially for Charles and William,” royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. “Television Scandal Report (claims) … Millions Were Not Publicly Screened.”

KING CHARLES CUT PRINCE ANDREW’S $1 MILLION ALLOWANCE, PRIVATE SECURITY: BOOK

King Charles and his eldest son Prince William are accused of secretly getting millions for charities and public services through their private properties. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

“This flies in the face of the accountability issues stated by the new Labor government, who (said) they will crack down on companies that are not transparent in their financial dealings.”

“This will not go down well with the British people,” warned Pelham Turner. “Many are suffering huge costs for food and essential supplies.”

“The royal family broke no law; rather, it operates within an established, if unusual, system,” Jonathan Sacerdoti, a British broadcaster and columnist, told Fox News Digital. “However, public perceptions may change unfavorably as Duchies enjoy exemptions not available to ordinary citizens. Whether directed or not, this reflects a growing expectation of transparency from all public figures, including the Royal Family.”

A Kensington Palace spokesman who handles the offices for the prince and princess of walesdid not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. A Buckingham Palace spokesman told Fox News Digital that the inquiry is to comment on the Duchy of Lancaster.

“This could become Watergate for the royal family, especially Charles and William. The televised scandal report (claims) that … millions of people were not publicly investigated … This will not go down well with the British people. Many suffer from giants. costs for food and essential supplies’.

— Ian Pelham Turner, royal expert

The probe focuses on the Duchy of Lancaster, held by King Charles as sovereign, and the Duchy of Cornwall, a private estate held by Prince William as Prince of Wales. (Pool/Max Mumby/Getty Images)

The Duchy of Lancaster is a private estate of 44,748 acres in England and Wales, held by the King as sovereign.

“The Duchy of Lancaster manages a wide range of land and real estate,” a spokesperson explained to Fox News Digital.

“It is self-financing and receives no public funding in relation to its activities,” the spokesman said. “It publishes an annual report and accounts which are independently audited and available to view on its website and which comply with all relevant UK legislation and regulatory standards applicable to its range of business activities.”

The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate of nearly 130,000 acres in southwest England, held by William as Prince of Wales. A spokesperson also emphasized his private status to Fox News Digital.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

King Charles was crowned on May 6, 2023, in London. (Yui Mok – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

“The Duchy of Cornwall is a private property with a commercial imperative that we achieve alongside our commitment to restoring the natural environment and generating positive social impact for our communities,” the spokesperson said.

“Prince William became the Duke of Cornwall in September 2022 and has since embarked on an extensive transformation of the Duchy. This includes significant investment to make the property net zero by the end of 2032, as well as establishing targeted mental health support for our tenants and working with local partners to help tackle homelessness in Cornwall.”

The inquiry claims that private properties took millions from public bodies, including the National Health Service, state-funded schools as well as the British Armed Forces, New York Post reported.

King Charles III arrives for an international sustainability reception at Buckingham Palace on November 6, 2024 in London. (Jordan Pettitt – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

According to the publication, the program also claimed that William’s estate received a $78,000 payment from St John’s Ambulance, a charity of which the king, who is battling cancer, is a patron.

It noted that the King’s estate was accused of storing a new fleet of electric ambulances in its warehouse in exchange for $14.7 million over 15 years. It also claimed that William’s estate had charged the Royal Navy $1.3 million since 2004 to build breakwaters and cover warships in Cornwall.

The Sunday Times claimed that a five-month investigation revealed that the duchies were making millions by “burdening government departments, councils, businesses, mining companies and the general public with a range of commercial rents and feudal dues on land largely confiscated by monarchs medieval. “

Do you like what you read? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Prince William greets well-wishers during a visit to Kalk Bay Harbor to highlight the contributions of Earthshot 2023 finalist Abalobi on November 7, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

“The files of the Duchy show that the royal family charge the right to cross the rivers; to unload cargo ashore; to pass cables under their beaches; to operate schools and charities; and even digging graves,” the publication claimed. “They earn income from toll bridges, ferries, sewers, churches, town halls, pubs, distilleries, gas pipelines, boat moorings, opencast and underground mines, car parks, tenements and wind turbines.”

People magazine noted that the arrangement is problematic because it says the royals operate as “commercial owners” while benefiting from a special deal “exempting them from paying tax on their corporate profits”.

The inquiry also reported a $48 million deal to lease Dartmoor Prison to the Ministry of Justice.

The documentary claimed that both properties made about $65 million in deals in the past year alone, the New York Post reported.

Mist hangs over Dartmoor Prison as sheep graze on the farm. (ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

“What those outlets didn’t cover was that the royal family voluntarily pays income tax on the surplus,” British royal family expert Hilary Fordwich Fox News Digital stated.

Sacerdoti told Fox News Digital that the revelations add “renewed scrutiny to the royal family’s unique financial privileges.”

“It represents a challenge to the careful balance they strike between inherited privilege and public service,” Sacerdoti explained. “However, the structure of the Duchies – long-standing and legally complicated – seems unlikely to undergo drastic changes.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Eyes are on William in particular after he recently starred in a two-part documentary series, 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 UK.

He kicked off the initiative by visiting pilot projects that have received grants of up to $637,000 each from the Royal Foundation, the charity that supports the work William and his wife, Kate Middleton.

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

The Prince of Wales raised eyebrows over the summer when he refused to reveal how much he paid in tax for the Duchy of Cornwall’s 2023-24 financial year. Duchy of Cornwall Integrated Annual Report, which was published in July, revealed he earned $30 million in his first full year as Duke of Cornwall.

According to People magazine, this amount covered the official, charitable and private expenses of the prince, as well as his wife and their children.

The media also reported that the Duchy of Lancaster earned about $35 million for the king.

KING CHARLES, PRINCE HARRY RECONCILIATION NOT IMPOSSIBLE BUT WILL BE A ‘SLOW BURN’: AUTHOR

Prince William is seen here with his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales. The eldest son of King Charles III and the late Princess Diana is the heir to the British throne. (Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

The Prince of Wales inherited his fortune, which is worth more than $1 billion, when his father took the throne. Queen Elizabeth II, England’s longest-serving monarchdied in September 2022 at the age of 96.

Both estates were established hundreds of years ago to provide income for both the sovereign and the heir to the throne, People magazine reported.

Prince William looks on as he takes part in the Sovereign’s Parade on behalf of King Charles III at the Royal Air Force College in Cranwell on September 12, 2024 in Sleaford, England. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

“While increased transparency could help assuage public concerns, the likelihood of substantial reforms is minimal,” Sacerdoti said. “Both Charles and William could look to refine their public messaging, emphasizing charitable endeavors and the long-term stewardship of these estates. (But) this underscores a recurring challenge: reconciling ancient privilege with modern expectations.”

“Through this tension, the monarchy can strengthen its relevance in a changing Britain, even as traditional structures remain largely intact,” he said.

Sacerdoti noted that the scandal will probably test the king to see if he is able to modernize the image of the monarchy without “overturning its foundations”.

QUEEN CAMILLA FORCED TO CANCEL EVENTS DUE TO CHEST INFECTION

In February, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer. (Carl Court/Getty Images)

“For William, it signals complexity of inheriting an institution where public service and privilege are intertwined, a challenge he will face throughout his future reign,” he said. “In time, it may push him to shape a future monarchy which will be more transparent and egalitarian, creating a precedent that balances tradition with the values ​​of a new generation”.

“Although Charles and William voluntarily pay income tax on the income of their duchies, these tax exemptions and legal protections illustrate the complex and privileged status of their estates,” Sacerdoti added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.