King Charles III and Prince William are facing growing scrutiny over claims that a long-promised royal project has been left to drift. Critics are now questioning whether the Prince of Wales has struggled to carry forward his father’s legacy.
According to a Daily Mail report published on December 26, Prince William has come under fire for allegedly failing to maintain King Charles’ vision for Poundbury — the experimental Dorset town the King once described as his proudest urban achievement. Residents say the development has deteriorated since William took control of the Duchy of Cornwall following Charles’ coronation in 2023.
Built on Duchy land near Dorchester, Poundbury was conceived as a model community, combining social and private housing with independent businesses and everyday amenities. Launched in the late 1980s under Charles, then Prince of Wales, the project aimed to promote a more traditional, human-scaled approach to town planning.
But locals now claim that ideal has faded. Some say the town has been neglected under its new leadership, with frustration mounting over rigid Duchy rules and a lack of hands-on oversight.
“This place is bloody awful now,” said Margaret Hendy, a former accountant who has lived in Poundbury for 15 years. “This was Charles’s baby, but he doesn’t have time to look after it and William doesn’t want to know.”
Residents also criticised strict regulations, including a ban on double glazing, which some say has made homes difficult to heat. One elderly resident claimed her house struggles to reach 17°C during winter months. “There are too many rules and regulations,” she said. “The Duchy are aloof and officious.”
Retired resident Andrew Cook echoed those concerns, saying the vision originally sold to residents no longer matches reality. “The idyll we were sold has paled somewhat,” he said, describing the system as “very feudal.”
However, not everyone shares the same view. John Matthews, 40, praised Poundbury as “picturesque and eclectic,” while warning that rising house prices and increasing traffic could threaten its long-term appeal.
As criticism grows, Poundbury has become a symbol of wider questions about continuity, leadership, and whether Prince William can live up to the ambitious ideals championed by his father.
0 Comments