Now it’s Prince William’s turn to shape British urbanism

ITyou are a man he remains close to the British throne and his mind will eventually turn to architecture. Between drinking and gambling sessions, the Prince Regent who became George IV commanded the royal pavilion in Brighton. Prince Albert had “a wonderful turn for architecture”, in the fond esteem of his wife Queen Victoria. Charles III began to pronounce on the subject in the mid-1980s, to the chagrin of many current architects.

Now it’s Charles’ son’s turn. Unlike his father, Prince William said little about architecture or planning, or indeed anything. But as first in line to the throne, he is the Duke of Cornwall, which means he oversees 52,449 hectares of land. On land far from Cornwall, on the edge of Faversham in Kent, the duchy is seeking permission to build thousands of homes. If the local council agrees, it can affect the whole country. The Duchy of Cornwall attracts attention, partly because of its regal glitz and partly because it can build more lavishly and more slowly than a merchant outfit. What he builds today, other British developers have a habit of building tomorrow.