Prince William accused of abandoning King Charles' flagship project

Has Prince William been unable to fill his father’s shoes?

The Daily Mail reported on December 26 that Prince of Wales is facing growing criticism over claims he has failed to uphold King Charles’ long-promised vision for Poundbury, the experimental town the monarch once described as his proudest urban project. According to residents, the Dorset development has slipped into neglect since William inherited the Duchy of Cornwall following his father’s Coronation in 2023.

Poundbury, built on Duchy land near Dorchester, was designed as a model community blending social and private housing with independent shops and essential services. Championed by Charles — who was Prince of Wales at the time — from the late 1980s, the town was meant to reflect a more human, traditional approach to urban living. But locals now say that vision has faded under its new steward.

“This place is bloody awful now. This was Charles’s baby but he doesn’t have time to look after it and William doesn’t want to know,” said Margaret Hendy, a former accountant who has lived in the area for 15 years.

Residents also criticised strict Duchy regulations, including a ban on double glazing. One elderly woman said the rules left her home unable to rise above 17C in winter. “There are too many rules and regulations. The Duchy are aloof and officious,” she said.

Retiree Andrew Cook said the idealised version of Poundbury no longer matched reality. “The idyll we were sold has paled somewhat,” he said, describing the system as “very feudal.”

Not all residents agreed. John Matthews, 40, called the town “picturesque and eclectic,” though he warned that rising prices and traffic issues were undermining its future.