Severe drought declared across Cornwall land held by Prince William's Duchy
The estate that supports Prince William's official work is in a drought zone.
The UK government has declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. The declaration, reported on 15 October 2026, puts land held by the Duchy of Cornwall directly inside the affected area, Hello! Magazine.
The Duchy of Cornwall is the private estate that provides an income to the heir to the throne. Prince William, The Prince of Wales, took it over from his father, King Charles III, in 2022 when Charles became King.
The transfer was automatic. Under the Duchy's founding charter of 1337, the title of Duke of Cornwall and control of the estate pass to the eldest living son of the monarch who is also heir to the throne.
The scale is large. The Duchy holds around 18,500 acres in Cornwall alone. Across England and Wales it stretches over 21 counties, and includes the Oval Cricket Ground in London and 67,000 acres of Dartmoor.
It is also a housebuilder. Its Nansledan urban extension in Cornwall plans for 4,000 homes to be built by 2045.
The dry spell is historic. South East and South West England have just recorded their driest April to September in more than a century. Reservoir levels have fallen as a result.
Ministers have ordered a shift in priorities. Water Minister Emma Hardy instructed the Environment Agency to prioritise protecting public water supplies in the areas hit by severe drought.
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: "This level of drought is something we have not experienced for decades, so this government is stepping up our support and planning."
The Duchy has discussed the pressure with a neighbour. It says it convened a crisis meeting with the National Trust to discuss responses to drought and bluetongue, the livestock disease spread by midges, Duchy of Cornwall.
What makes this stand out is the overlap. The Duchy is both a landlord and a farming partner. Dry fields, low reservoirs and animal disease hit tenants first. They decide what happens next on the ground.
