King Charles is facing fresh questions over royal money and family favoritism after it was reported that Queen Camilla’s younger sister is now being paid for consultancy work by one of his flagship charities.
Annabel Elliot is reportedly working for the King’s Foundation on “branding” and “retail” matters, according to Britain’s Sunday Times.
Exactly how much she is being paid has not been disclosed.
But the arrangement is already raising eyebrows because Elliot previously earned hundreds of thousands of pounds over roughly two decades while advising Charles on interior design projects connected to the Duchy of Cornwall.
That lucrative relationship ended after Prince William inherited control of the Duchy when Charles became king.
William reportedly removed Elliot from the payroll soon after taking over.
Now, critics are questioning how Elliot ended up with another paid role connected to Charles — this time through the King’s Foundation.
There has been no suggestion that Elliot is unqualified for the work. Instead, the controversy centers on appearances, transparency and whether proper safeguards were followed when a close member of the royal family was brought in as a paid consultant.
The development also comes as Charles continues to face criticism over his handling of another deeply personal royal headache: Prince Harry.
According to critics of the King, Charles has repeatedly ignored advisers urging him to take a tougher or more cautious approach toward his estranged younger son.
Harry and Meghan Markle remain deeply unpopular with significant sections of the British public, particularly following years of explosive interviews, accusations against the Royal Family and the release of Harry’s memoir, Spare.
Yet Charles has appeared determined to keep the door open to his son.
For some royal watchers, the Elliot controversy fits into a much larger pattern surrounding the 77-year-old monarch — one in which Charles listens to advice but ultimately does what he wants.
Those critics argue that aides have spent years attempting to protect the King from controversies involving money, family and public perception, only to see their warnings brushed aside.
That approach may have been easier when Charles was Prince of Wales.
As King, however, every decision involving royal relatives, charities and money is likely to receive far greater scrutiny.
And with the monarchy already under pressure to prove it operates transparently, Charles may soon discover that ignoring uncomfortable warnings comes with a much steeper price.
