The Crown Estate
An independent commercial business, established by Act of Parliament, that owns and manages land and seabed for the benefit of the nation and returns all its net profit to the Treasury.
Last updated September 15, 2026
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Overview
The Crown Estate is an independent commercial business established by an Act of Parliament in 1961, subsequently amended by The Crown Estate Act 2025. It owns and manages land across communities, countryside, coast and seabed for the benefit of the nation, and returns all of its net profit to the Treasury. Its assets are hereditary possessions of the Sovereign held 'in right of the Crown' — they are not the King's private property, and the UK government does not own The Crown Estate either. Its activities span Marine, Land, The Windsor Estate, and Property & Places, and it reports enabling 13GW of grid-connected offshore wind capacity.
History
The Crown Estate's history reaches back to 1760, when George III surrendered the management of Crown Lands to Parliament for a fixed annual payment known as the Civil List, with the estate's profits going to the Treasury. The modern-day independent and commercial organisation was created by The Crown Estate Act 1961, subsequently amended by The Crown Estate Act 2025. The Crown Estate is owned by the Monarch 'in right of the Crown': the King owns the estate during his reign, but it is not his private property and he does not manage or make decisions about its assets. Its profit is delivered to the Treasury, which then decides the annual payment to the King (the Sovereign Grant).
Products and positioning
An independent business sitting between the public and private sectors, acting in the national interest both today and for future generations.
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