Share to ClassroomKing Charles Reveals £12.9m Tax Bill
King Charles III is the first British king or queen to make his personal tax bill public. He paid £12.9 million in tax for the 2024-25 financial year. He also paid £11.7 million for the year before. In total, he has paid more than £30 million since he became king. Buckingham Palace called this a sign that it wants to be open.
Most people must pay tax by law. The king does not have to, but Charles pays by choice. This follows a special agreement first made in 1993 and updated in 2023. Much of his money comes from the Duchy of Lancaster, a large private estate. It made £25.2 million this year. Before he pays tax, he can take off the cost of his official royal work. No full details were shared, so experts cannot check the number. One tax expert said: "If it's voluntary, it's not tax."
People noticed the bill because it seems low next to other rich people. The singer Harry Styles paid £24.7 million — about twice the King's bill — even though he has a much smaller fortune. One writer called the news just a "PR operation", a way to look good in public. A historian said it showed a royal family trying to look open as fewer people support it.
