Newly discovered documents from the National Archives reveal that Prince Charles pressured ministers in John Major's government to secretly amend a proposed law to benefit his Duchy of Cornwall estate. The documents show that ministers yielded to his demands amid fears of a constitutional crisis, effectively allowing the heir to the throne to force the hand of the elected government.
The documents concern the Leasehold Reform Act of 1993, which gave tenants the right to buy their homes in certain circumstances. Prince Charles insisted on an exemption for Newton St Loe, a village in Somerset that is part of the £1bn Duchy of Cornwall estate. His lobbying secured a special exemption that has left tenants in the village financially worse off to this day.
Letters and internal memos from September and October 1992 show that Charles took a 'close personal interest' in the matter. He also wrote directly to Prime Minister John Major in October 1992, expressing 'particular concern' about another aspect of the proposed law that he feared would permit tenants to buy and redevelop historic properties without preserving their 'special character'.
The disclosure provides further evidence of how the royal family has used the secretive 'Queen's consent' procedure to alter legislation to benefit their private interests. Under this procedure, the monarch and her eldest son are given copies of draft laws in advance to examine whether they affect their public powers or private assets. Ministers must obtain their consent before relevant legislation can be approved by parliament.
A Guardian investigation has revealed that the Queen's consent procedure has been used by the monarch to privately lobby for changes in over 1,000 parliamentary acts during her reign. Buckingham Palace and the government have previously described the procedure as 'purely formal', but these documents show it was used to exert influence on elected ministers.
