King Charles’s tax bill: what did we learn, and what is still in the dark?

King Charles has become Britain’s first monarch in modern times to reveal how much tax he pays on his private income: £24.6m over the last two years. It’s a move celebrated by some as heralding an era of greater transparency from the monarchy. But just how open has it been? Why has the king published his tax bill? Buckingham Palace said that it was the “express wish” of the monarch to publish this piece of information. His aides say the decision is part of a wider drive to be more open with the public. Sceptics, however, point out that the royals have endured a run of bad publicity over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, prompting MPs to demand more information about their finances. The king will also be aware of the need to assuage public opinion at a time when more Britons appear to be questioning the existence of the monarchy . How significant is the publication? The royal finances have been described as shrouded in fog , and Thursday’s tax declaration does little to clear it. British monarchs are not liable for tax, but the king and his mother before him started paying it voluntarily in 1993. The amount payable has been declared for the first time this year, but very little else has been revealed. All we have is a line in the royal household’s report, which states: “His majesty’s tax payable for 2024-25 was £12.9m (2023-24: £11.7m). …