In a shocking move inside the British royal family, Prince William is said to have fired a crucial member from his payroll—someone with deep links to Queen Camilla and King Charles III.
Netizens were surprised to learn that Prince William had removed Annabel Elliot, Queen Camilla’s sister, off the Duchy of Cornwall’s payroll. According to The Telegraph on July 24, Annabel has been the estate’s interior designer since 2005, working on numerous royal palaces under the supervision of King Charles III.
A netizen’s comment on Prince William’s move to remove Annabel Elliot from the payroll, posted in July 2024 | Source: Facebook/peoplemag
The 75-year-old interior designer’s departure comes as William begins to shape the estate’s management in his way. The latest Duchy accounts show she wasn’t paid for her services in 2023-2024, marking the end of nearly two decades of work.
Queen Camilla and Annabel Elliot attended the Chelsea Flower Show on May 21, 2007 | Source: Getty Images.
The report echoed a remark from the Duchy’s 2024 annual report, which covered Charles’ final six months administering the estate and William’s first six months after Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
The statement read, “During the period to 8th September 2022 the Duchy paid Mrs Annabel Elliot, the 24th Duke of Cornwall’s sister-in-law, in the normal course of business and on an arm’s length basis £19,625 (or $25,091.25) for fees and commission and £12,316 ($15746.44) for the purchase of furniture, furnishings and retail stock for the Duchy of Cornwall Holiday accommodation, Duchy offices and Duchy Nursery. At 31st March 2024 there was £nil (2023: £nil) remaining payable to Mrs Elliot in respect of these [sic].”
The Duchy is a private estate that generates money for the Duke of Cornwall and his family. Edward III founded this location in 1337 to assist his son, Prince Edward, and it is regulated by particular charters and rules.
The estate is managed with a focus on sustainability and community benefits, aiming to preserve it for future generations. The current Duke of Cornwall, William, does not have access to the estate’s capital and pays income tax on the profits it generates each year.
Prince William visits James’ Place Newcastle in Newcastle upon Tyne, England on April 30, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Along with its historic significance, the Duchy offers luxury holiday cottages in period buildings across Cornwall, Wales, and the Isles of Scilly. Designed by Annabel, these interiors blend antique and modern styles, using recycled materials like glass bottles for light fixtures and old chests for coffee tables.
The estate emphasizes eco-friendliness, using green electricity and renewable energy heating systems. It also promotes sustainable tourism that supports local economies and communities.
William’s decision to remove Annabel from the Duchy’s payroll has drawn mixed reactions from netizens. One user commented, “Charles put her on the payroll she wouldn’t have been interior designer if it wasn’t for her sister and I’m glad Prince William took her off payroll [sic].”
Prince William talks to staff at the Milton Keynes Blue Light Hub in Buckinghamshire on October 11, 2023 | Source: Getty Images
Not everyone was aware of Annabel’s role, with some expressing surprise. “So he should, didn’t know she was on the payroll,” one netizen said. Another questioned Annabel’s involvement, “Why was she even on it? What does she do exactly?”
Another chimed in, “Camilla’s sister, an interior designer, worked on a contract , the contract is now completed . Annabelle is 75 and is retiring [sic].” A fifth remarked, “Good. She is not his mother or aunt.”
Annabel Elliot at a memorial service for Rosemary Parker Bowles in the Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks on March 25, 2010 | Source: Getty Images
Another noted the generational contrast, quipping, “Makes sense. I’d think an 80 yr old sense of style and a 40 year olds would be severely different. I wouldn’t hire my grandma’s interior designer either. 🤣🤣 [sic]”
Annabel Elliot at a memorial service for Major Bruce Shand in St. Paul’s Church in Knightsbridge, London on September 11, 2006 | Source: Getty Images
