The Aporia
The Aporia
Bussey, K. (2026, September 20). SNP MSP seeks ‘clarity’ from King on council tax charges on royal properties. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/balmoral-king-aberdeenshire-buckingham-palace-b1297708.html
Bussey, Katrine. “SNP MSP seeks ‘clarity’ from King on council tax charges on royal properties.” Evening Standard, 20 Sept. 2026, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/balmoral-king-aberdeenshire-buckingham-palace-b1297708.html.
Bussey, Katrine. “SNP MSP seeks ‘clarity’ from King on council tax charges on royal properties.” Evening Standard, September 20, 2026. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/balmoral-king-aberdeenshire-buckingham-palace-b1297708.html.
Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.
Katrine Bussey, an SNP member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), has written to King Charles III seeking clarification on council tax charges for royal properties. The issue arises after Aberdeenshire Council introduced a 200% premium on second homes, effective September 1, 2023, meaning property owners pay three times the standard rate of council tax. This includes Balmoral Castle, one of the King's residences. Additionally, Edinburgh City Council plans to implement a 300% council tax premium starting in September 2026, impacting another royal residence, Holyroodhouse, which would be charged four times the standard rate.
The Scottish government permitted local councils to increase taxes on second homes as part of efforts to address Scotland's "housing emergency," aiming to boost housing availability and prioritize living spaces over occasional use. Bussey noted that these measures were intended to make it more attractive for property owners, including royals, to occupy their secondary properties year-round rather than leaving them unoccupied.
