Norman Baker at Lewes Speakers Festival

Former Minister of State and Privy Counsellor Norman Baker returns to the Lewes Speakers Festival with an explosive new exposé that goes further than ever before into the hidden world of royal finances, privilege and influence. Building on the revelations of his bestselling …And What Do You Do?, Baker’s sensational sequel digs even deeper into how the monarchy operates – financially, politically and culturally – behind the scenes.

In this eye-opening talk, Baker reveals how a family that was effectively bankrupt in 1760 has become one of the richest dynasties in Britain, thanks to a combination of public subsidy, favourable tax treatment and relentless lobbying of government and the media. He uncovers how official gifts quietly become private possessions; how the Duchies extract punitive rents from public services such as the NHS, churches and charities; and how opaque financial arrangements allow wealth to grow with minimal scrutiny or accountability.

He also delves into the monarchy’s acceptance of dubious donations, legislative carve-outs written specifically to protect royal interests, and even the extraordinary private money-making world of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, whose friendships with fraudsters, paedophiles and spies continue to raise troubling questions.

This is not a polemic but a demand for honesty in public life. Baker argues that no institution – however historic – should operate above the law, beyond scrutiny or insulated from accountability. His talk promises to be rigorous, controversial, and one of the most talked-about events of the festival.