Prince William's Duchy of Cornwall plans land sell-off affecting up to 40 farm holdings

The Duchy of Cornwall plans to sell up to 20% of its land over the next decade, a programme the Tenant Farmers Association says could affect up to 40 farm holdings across England. Yahoo reported that tenants may be asked to buy their farms or move out.

The Duchy is the private royal estate established in 1337, spanning more than 128,400 acres across 20 English and Welsh counties and generating around £23 million in annual surplus for the Prince of Wales, according to akta.pro company records. It holds around 700 agricultural lettings, including around 300 whole farm holdings made up of a farmhouse, land and buildings.

The Duchy's Ten-Year Land Sale

The Duchy plans to use the £500 million raised from property and land sales over the next decade to invest in local communities, affordable housing and environmental projects. A spokeswoman said the Duchy could not confirm the total number of tenants affected but that the estate was "supporting them through the process with care and respect."

Talks over the future of nine farms on the Bradninch estate in Devon have already caused "distress" for some tenants who fear they cannot afford to buy, according to locals. The sales programme has been extended from Bradninch, near Cullompton, to the Duloe Estate in Cornwall and to individual holdings elsewhere in Cornwall, Herefordshire and the Midlands, the TFA said.

Rural director Matthew Morris told the BBC the Duchy was "still committed to agriculture" but that there "may well be other disposals in the future." He said there were "no cliff edges here" on immediate evictions and that the Duchy was working closely with every tenant to find a suitable outcome. "In the main, our mission is to sell to our farmers," he said.

What the Estate Records Show

The Duchy listed a 617-acre farm in Cradley, Herefordshire for sale at £6.65 million in June 2025 as part of a strategy to rebalance its portfolio, which includes plans to sell 20% of property holdings valued at over £1 billion over the next decade, the same records show. The estate reported a distributable surplus of £22.9 million for the 2024-2025 financial year, down from £23.6 million the previous year.

Earlier Duchy of Cornwall Projects

In August 2026, St Petrocs received keys to the first phase of a Duchy-funded housing project in Nansledan, Newquay, providing accommodation and support for 16 people facing homelessness, The Times of India reported. The Duchy has restored over 800 hectares of damaged peat on Dartmoor since 2008, the same outlet reported in September 2026. In June 2026, the Duchy partnered with Regenified to give farmers fully funded access to its verification standard for regenerative farming, Businessgreen reported.

Tenant Concerns Over Valuations

George Dunn, chief executive of the TFA, said poor communication had left tenants "facing prolonged uncertainty over valuations, timing and the options available to them." Mary Ryan, a local Lib Dem councillor who has lived near the Bradninch estate for around 35 years, said some of those affected were "experiencing enormous mental and emotional distress" over the planned sell-off.