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Charles cuts carbon footprint
30/06/2008 21:20 - (SA)
London - Prince Charles' income grew last year, while his carbon footprint shrank.
The eco-friendly prince even has an Aston Martin that runs on wine.
An annual review of Charles' accounts released on Monday said the prince made more than £16m from property and investments between April 1, 2007 and March 31 this year, 7% more than in 2006-7. Charles paid £3.4m in tax, £5 000 less than the year before.
The prince's office said greater use of green energy and fewer plane and car journeys helped Charles cut the amount of carbon dioxide he produced by 18% to 2 795 metric tons.
Charles has promised to reduce his emissions of greenhouse gases by 25% between 2007 and 2012.
Biodiesel
The report said Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, travelled 60 000 kilometres on official duties, and overseas travel accounted for the largest chunk of the prince's carbon footprint.
For domestic travel, the prince's Jaguars, Audi and Range Rover now run entirely on biodiesel made from used cooking oil, and his 38-year-old Aston Martin is fuelled by bioethanol from surplus wine.
The prince has also installed wood-chip stoves at his country homes - the Highgrove estate, where he farms organically, and Birkhall in Scotland - and energy-efficient boilers at his Clarence House residence in London.
"I hope it shows a good picture," said royal aide Sir Michael Peat. "I really do believe that the contribution their royal highnesses make to national life continues to develop and broaden."
The 59-year-old heir to the throne receives private income from properties of The Duchy of Cornwall, the 55,000-hectare estate established in 1337 by King Edward II to provide income for his heir.
Charles' official spending, including money spent on charitable work and official duties, was £10.4m. His personal spending, which includes the salaries of 30 full-time staff, was £2.2m, down from £2.6m.
William the big spender
However, Charles' thrifty gene appears to have skipped his oldest son. A British newspaper reported on Monday that five helicopter flights taken by Prince William during training with the Royal Air Force cost taxpayers more than £50 000.
The most contentious was a flight to attend a stag party on the Isle of Wight off southern England, which cost just over £8 700, The Guardian reported.
William also flew military aircraft to his girlfriend Kate Middleton's home, his father's country house and the royal residence at Sandringham.
The Ministry of Defence said "all flights undertaken by Flying Officer Wales were a legitimate part of his RAF training." But the ministry acknowledged there had been "a degree of naivety in the planning of the training sorties."
- AP
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