Two helicopters on the shopping list King Charles and family receive a windfall of millions

The royal family's annual financial report reveals a huge increase in the income of the so-called Crown Estate. For King Charles, this means full coffers. But the money has already been spent.

The British royals can look forward to a handsome windfall in the coming year. According to the British news agency PA, the amount due to King Charles III (75) and his family for the performance of their duties will increase by the equivalent of almost 52 million francs to just under 150 million francs in the royal family's annual financial report.

The background to this is that the income from the so-called "Crown Estate" has risen sharply. This is a portfolio of land and real estate holdings as well as the rights to the economic use of the continental shelf around the British coast.

With daughter CharlottePrincess Kate appears at the tennis tournament in Wimbledon

Royals benefit from offshore wind farms

This income feeds the pot known as the "Sovereign Grant", which the British royals use to keep their residences in good condition and finance official trips abroad, for example.

The expansion of offshore wind farms in the North Sea in particular has recently brought in enormous sums of money. The proportion earmarked for the royals was therefore recently reduced to 12 percent. Nevertheless, the amount they have at their disposal is increasing.

Two helicopters are on the shopping list

According to the royal family, the additional money will primarily go towards the renovation of Buckingham Palace, which has been ongoing for years.

However, two new AgustaWestland AW139s helicopters are also on the shopping list for this fiscal year, which the royals intend to use to travel to their numerous official appointments. They are to replace two ageing Sikorsky helicopters.

Coronation cost the palace 800,000 pounds

In addition to the running costs, there were several larger items last year. The coronation, for example, cost the palace the equivalent of around 920,000 francs - not including the cost of police security and military participation.

Trips abroad also had an impact: the most expensive for British taxpayers was the royal couple's state visit to Kenya. Charter flights and other expenses amounted to the equivalent of more than 191,000 francs.

dpa