King Charles III would be benefiting from the assets of thousands of citizens who died in the northwest of England without leaving a will, which they would secretly increase their assets thanks to an antiquated feudal system, as revealed ‘Guardian‘.

The Duchy of Lancaster is a set of lands and properties that generate enormous benefits for the estate of the British monarch, who in recent years has obtained tens of millions of pounds thanks to a protocol that dates back to feudal times, according to an investigation by the aforementioned newspaper. With this system, the duchy keeps the financial assets of people who have died without leaving a will or whose relatives are unknown.

Over the last 10 years, the duchy has thus raised more than 60 million pounds. Although it claims that the profits are donated to NGOs, ‘The Guardian’ concludes that just asmall percentage actually go to charity, according to internal duchy documents accessed by the British newspaper. These documents show how These funds would be used “secretly” to finance the renovation of the sovereign’s properties.which are rented for profit.

The newspaper recalls that the duchy inherits ‘bona vacantia’ funds -in Spanish, mostrenco goods- of people whose last known address was in a territory that in the Middle Ages was known as the county palatine of Lancashire and was managed by a duke. Today that area encompasses the counties of Lancashire and parts of Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Cumbria.

Internal documents leaked in 2020 gave officials at that king’s estate a license to use ‘bona vacantia’ funds in a wide series of profit generating activities, according to the investigation. That clause recognizes that spending the money in this way could result in a “casual” benefit for the personal income of Charles III.

Other leaked documents identify properties considered suitable for the use of these funds, including mansions, vacation rentals, rural cabins, farm buildings, an old gas station and barns. The renovations financed with these funds include the installation of new roofs, double glass windows, heater installations or door replacements, among others.

‘The Guardian’ points out that three sources related to the expenses incurred by the duchy have confirmed that the monarch’s assets uses profits obtained from deceased citizens to reform their propertiess.