Queen's sister quietly paid by King's Foundation after William cut Duchy ties
Queen's sister quietly paid by King's Foundation after William cut Duchy ties
Dorothy Reddin Mon, August 31, 2026 at 8:26 AM UTC
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Annabel Elliot | Source: PA
The King's Foundation has been quietly paying Annabel Elliot, Queen Camilla's younger sister, for "branding" and "retail" consultancy work, an arrangement that began after the Prince of Wales ended her longstanding role with the Duchy of Cornwall.
Mrs Elliot, a 77-year-old interior designer and antiques dealer, had been on the Duchy's payroll for two decades before Prince William took charge of the estate following King Charles's accession to the throne.
A source close to William said in July 2024 that the decision to discontinue her retainer was "not a reflection on her work".
The charity, of which the King is Royal Founding President, has not disclosed the consultancy in its related party transactions, a standard accounting practice intended to flag potential conflicts of interest.
During her time advising King Charles on design matters, Mrs Elliot earned hundreds of thousands of pounds from the Duchy of Cornwall.
Her work included overseeing the renovation of Duchy-owned cottages and furnishing Dumfries House, the 18th-century Palladian country house in Ayrshire that now serves as the King's Foundation headquarters.
Mrs Elliot studied fine art in Florence before establishing her own interior design firm in Dorset. She acted as Camilla's lady-in-attendance at the Coronation and is widely regarded as the Queen's "rock".
Her closeness to Charles is well documented; she has previously praised her brother-in-law's "quite extraordinary" eye for detail.
Annabel Elliot | Source: BBC / Oxford Film and Television
Her son, Ben Elliot, a former Conservative Party chairman, has been described as Their Majesties' favourite nephew.
The Duchy of Cornwall had routinely disclosed the existence and value of its work with Mrs Elliot in the related party transactions section of its annual accounts. The King's Foundation, which has itself faced years of police, regulatory and media scrutiny over its financial arrangements, has included no equivalent information in its own accounts.
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GB News has contacted the King's Foundation for comment.
A senior trustee told The Times they were never informed about the consultancy, describing it as a surprise given that oversight of such matters fell within their responsibilities.
Queen Camilla and Annabel Elliot | Source: GETTY
The foundation has frequently maintained that it operates "independently" of the monarch.
However, behind the scenes, King Charles is said to remain involved at a granular level, extending to decisions about the placement of specific exotic flowers on the charity's premises.
In a statement, the foundation told the outlet: "Whilst we would not comment on the detail of individual consultancy agreements, we can confirm that Mrs Elliot provides design expertise to our retail and brand team across product and commercial partnerships. This arrangement is not secret."
It refused to address how Mrs Elliot came to be awarded the consultancy.
Queen Camilla and Annabel Elliot | Source: PA
In a further statement, the charity added: "As previously reported publicly, Mrs Elliot is a longstanding and valued consultant at the foundation and her experience across interior design provides expertise and support on a range of projects."
When asked by The Times to specify where the arrangement had previously been made public, the foundation declined to respond.
The King's Foundation was established by Charles in 1990.
It manages several of his country estates, including Highgrove, and sells branded products such as ointments and jams.
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