Prince Charles Claims Mineral Rights
Duchy of Cornwall
November 2013

In November 2013, Prince Charles declared that, unbeknownst to the Stoke Climsland villagers in his Duchy of Cornwall, he possessed the mineral estate under their homes, and gave them all an ultimatum with a December deadline to produce deeds that showed otherwise. His solicitor made reference the creation of the Duchy in the 10th year of Edward III (1337) and to a reservation by the Duchy of Cornwall (No. 2) Act 1844. Buildings erected before that time (as evinced by a lintel, corner or foundation stone) are free of this severance.

Charles, Prince of Wales outside the White House on an official visit to the United States in 2005.
"Prince Charles 'is a bully' for mining under homes, say villagers"
20 Nov 2013, Daily Telegraph.


Main Road Stoke Climsland Copyright by Tony Atkin, Licensed for reuse under Creative Commons
"Villagers accuse the Prince of Wales of “bully tactics” after he invokes an ancient right to mine under their homes Officials at his Duchy of Cornwall estate have written to the residents of Stoke Climsland to inform them he owns the land beneath their houses. The Duchy wants the home owners to alter their property deeds to reflect his right to the metals and elements under their floors. Cornwall sits on large beds of metals and minerals and moves are under way to revive its tin mining industry."

SOURCE: DAILY TELEGRAPH

"Officials deny the move indicates any intent to start boring into ground under the buildings, some of which are 16th century. In recent years large deposits of indium, which is used to make liquid crystal displays, have been discovered in Cornwall, estimated to be worth £200 million.

The Duchy insists that it has effectively owned the soil beneath the 130,000-acre estate since its creation in 1337 and is “simply registering its existing rights”.

A spokesman said mining and mineral rights were not included on the original Stoke Climsland deeds because a 19th-century act of parliament granted the mines and minerals reservations separately to the Duchy.


Pure indium bars, roughly one pound each. Credit Nerdtalker Creative Commons License

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