The monarch’s private tax affairs have been thrust into the spotlight after a leaked document revealed three unusual exemptions on the King’s tax bill. The exemptions, understood to relate to income from the Duchy of Lancaster, a property allowance, and a deduction for “official duties,” have prompted a quiet review by Treasury officials. No.
10 insists the arrangements are long-standing and legally watertight, but Labour MPs are already sharpening their knives. The timing could not be worse for a government already fighting fires on the economy. One senior Tory backbencher told me: “This is a spare wheel waiting to come off.
” Expect more leaks. And expect questions.
