King Charles personally raises charity money, looks away from deeper problems

King Charles has become U.K.’s most successful royal fundraiser, and he’s done it with his own paintbrush. 

The King’s passion for watercolour landscapes has raised serious money for good causes, turning this hobby into an extraordinary philanthropic engine.

Prints of his watercolour work often depicting serene scenes of Highgrove House, his treasured Gloucestershire retreat, along with other beloved landscapes have been sold in limited, signed editions to benefit charitable endeavours.

From the late 1990s onward, sales of his lithographs essentially classic colours reproduced in limited runs have generated millions of pounds for The King’s Foundation. 

Estimates from newspaper investigations suggest those art sales alone brought in well over £6 million between 1997 and 2016.

The monarch has been closely involved with more than a dozen charitable organisations he either founded or champions, collectively known as The Prince’s Charities. 

Yet while earning praise some commentators say is a "hands-off" approach to pressing issues on both personal and public fronts. 

While newly released photos of Andrew have reignited scrutiny over the Duke of York, Charles has so far taken no visible action against his brother, leaving commentators questioning the King’s willingness to confront even his closest family members.

Meanwhile, Channel 4 News has highlighted a separate controversy hitting closer to home for residents an illegal site on royal land in Wigan. 

The site, which reportedly holds 25,000 tonnes of rubbish, sits on property technically owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, a private estate inherited by King Charles. 

For over a year, locals have been calling for the mess to be cleared.