The Royal Family’s Rough Year: Kensington Palace Break-ins, Prince Williams’ Pay and More

The royal family has had a rough few months — scroll down to find out why.

Two Palace Break-ins

Police arrested a man — twice — after he scaled the walls of Princess William and Kate’s London home, Kensington Palace, with a rucksack on Dec. 21 and again Dec. 23 after he made bail. Other royals, including Princess Eugenie, the Duke of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, also have homes on the grounds. The intruder will face a judge later in January.

Prince’s Pay Outrage

Backlash followed Dec. 30 reports detailing William’s $30 million second-year earnings from the Duchy of Cornwall, a vast, billion-dollar estate created in 1337 to bankroll the heir to the throne. While he’s said he pays income tax on the funds after covering expenses for his household, he hasn’t released those figures. Meanwhile, some Duchy residents have accused William of raking in money while neglecting their properties.

PR Headache

A gushing Jan. 3 cover story in the London Times magazine titled “Arise, Queen Kate” fueled tensions between the monarch and the Waleses, with reports claiming “irritated” Queen Camilla, 78, and Charles feel the couple are “actively positioning themselves as monarchs in waiting, as opposed to patient and dutiful heirs,” a friend of Charles’ told The Royalist. The blow was allegedly made worse considering Camilla’s declining favorability according to a recent YouGov poll rating among Brits — 33 percent (four points below even Prince Harry) to Kate’s 69 percent.

Helicopter Use Backlash

Buckingham Palace was forced into damage control after a Jan. 4 Telegraph report revealed senior royals’ two new helicopters had already logged 58,000 miles — the equivalent of more than two trips around the globe — in a matter of months, prompting criticism over costs and optics. A palace spokesman pushed back, insisting helicopters are essential for reaching remote areas and packing in multiple engagements — with William and his aunt Princess Anne among the most frequent flyers.