Does King Charles actually own a Starbucks location?

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As a seasoned gamer with years of experience in the realm of alternate realities and parallel universes, I must admit this piece of news has left me utterly astonished yet amused. A King owning a Starbucks? Mind you, I’ve played games where kings rule over entire empires, but never one that owns a coffee chain!

Is it common for the royal family to be associated with Starbucks in your thoughts? Likely not. However, perhaps they should be.

According to an article from TastingTable, we’ve discovered a fascinating detail about King Charles: He has legal ownership over a local Starbucks branch. This is due in part to the store being situated on an estate that is legally owned by the reigning monarch at present.

So where exactly is this Starbucks location “owned” by King Charles? We are so glad you asked.

King Charles III technically owns a Starbucks location

It appears that the Starbucks under royal ownership can be found in Oxfordshire. If you’re interested in sipping coffee at this regal Starbucks, your best bet would be to make a trip to the Banbury Gateway Shopping Park.

Given that Banbury Gateway Shopping Park is under the ownership of the Crown Estate, it implies that King Charles has control over what’s situated within this specific area. It appears that the Crown Estate doesn’t only own this location; it also manages several Starbucks outlets outside London, as well as numerous McDonald’s locations. In essence, while not directly owning each individual Starbucks and McDonald’s, King Charles technically owns the properties where these businesses operate, which are under the management of the reigning monarch.

But what do we mean when we say that King Charles only technically owns these businesses?

Although these businesses are physically located on land owned by the Crown Estate, King Charles has no direct control or management over them. He doesn’t earn profits directly from these businesses and cannot sell them. Essentially, he doesn’t own the businesses as they aren’t his private property; it’s more a matter of technicality than reality.

In simpler terms, buying your coffee from these places means you’re helping to fund the royal family’s income, as a part of what you pay goes towards the Sovereign Grant which supports the monarch, much like contributing to the king’s Starbucks account, if you will.

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2024-12-18 18:32