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The Office of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall publishes its 2009 Annual Review
22nd June 2009
2008-09 was busier than ever for The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in terms of public engagements throughout the UK, and overseas on behalf of the Government, the latest Annual Review from Clarence House reveals today.
The 2009 Review shows that, in The Prince’s 60th birthday year, he and The Duchess undertook 658 joint and solo official engagements, hosted more than 9,000 people at events at royal residences, and travelled more than 50,000 miles at home and abroad in the course of their work on behalf of the country.
Among the main themes of Their Royal Highnesses’ working year were the environment (with a particular focus on saving the tropical rainforests); supporting the Armed Forces and their families; and travelling overseas to maintain and enhance British influence with key international partners, tackle climate change and promote better inter-faith understanding.
The year also saw the establishment of a new Royal Household at St James’s Palace for Prince William and Prince Harry.
As it does each year, the Review provides details of The Prince’s charitable activities. In 2008-09, His Royal Highness helped to raise, directly or indirectly, £130 million to support the work of his 20 core charities, which as a group represents the UK’s largest multi-cause charitable enterprise.
The latest Review provides more information than ever before about the Household’s impact on the environment, and reveals that the Household cut its carbon emissions by seven per cent last year and its fossil fuel use by 15 per cent.
The carbon footprint figures are included in the Sustainability Account section of the Review which details greenhouse gas emissions, energy usage and other impacts. Published for the second consecutive year, the Account follows the adoption of the Connected Reporting Framework developed by The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project, an initiative he set up in 2005 to help companies and public sector organizations embed sustainable practices in their operations and report their sustainability performance.
The Review also explains how the work of The Prince and The Duchess, and Prince William and Prince Harry, is funded. Their Royal Highnesses do not receive a Civil List or a Parliamentary Annuity, but use the income from the Duchy of Cornwall to pay for their official activities, supported by The Queen’s Grant-in-Aid funding to provide assistance with official travel, property and communications.
The Prince’s income from the Duchy of Cornwall in 2008-09 was virtually unchanged at £16.5 million. He chooses to spend well over half of his after-tax income in support of his official and charitable work.
As in previous years, the Annual Review explains The Prince of Wales’s role by breaking it down into three principal elements:
• Undertaking royal duties in support of The Queen
• Working as a charitable entrepreneur
• Promoting and protecting what is best about Britain.
Click here to download the Annual Review in its entirety or click here to download the Annual Review in chapters from the Document Downloads section.