According to a copy of the lease obtained by The Times, Prince Andrew has not paid rent for two decades for Royal Lodge, his grace and favor residence on the Windsor Estate.
The lease for the 30-room estate, which Andrew and his family are entitled to occupy until 2078, reveals the prince has only paid “one peppercorn” (if required) a year since 2003.
The Prince paid £1 million in rent, plus at least £7.5 million for renovations completed in 2005. This confirms that he would only pay a previously understood “notional rent” of £260,000 a year if he failed to complete the renovation work.
The revelations put increased pressure on Prince Andrew to leave the seven-bedroom mansion, which has been described as his “last symbol of status” after he was cut from the British royal family amid allegations of sexual abuse.
Can the prince be asked to leave?
The contract also mentions a clause stating that if Prince Andrew were to give up the lease before 2028 (25 years after the contract began), the Crown Estate, which manages Crown property for the benefit of the taxpayer, would have to pay him around £558,000 as a “compensation sum”.
Details of the almost negligible rent explain how Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson could afford to stay in the mansion.
Royal Lodge
Andrew’s financial situation is under increased scrutiny, especially after the King cut his £1 million annual allowance last year and his only declared income was a £20,000 naval pension. But the question remains how he funds his estimated £3m annual security bill.
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King Charles reportedly tried to persuade Andrew to give up the Royal Lodge and instead move to the more modest four-bedroom Frogmore cottage inside the Windsor security cordon. In contrast, the Royal Lodge is a sprawling 40-hectare site and includes six staff cottages and a “police suite” for security officers.
The Times reported that Andrew cannot be removed by legal force until 2078 because he is protected by an “ironclad” lease.
Why was Prince Andrew cut off from the British royal family?
On Friday, October 17, Prince Andrew was forced to relinquish all his titles, including Duke of York and Knight of the Garter, after his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein threatened to overshadow his brother the king’s reign.
Andrew also faces allegations that he asked a royal protection officer to “dig up dirt” on his sexual abuse accuser, Virginia Giuffre. — claims he categorically denied it.
In allegations in US court documents, Giuffre alleged that Andrew participated in orgies with girls who were young and did not speak English well. She also named Jeffrey Epstein for trafficking and abusing her at the age of 16, The Guardian reported.
Read also | Prince Andrew loses Duke title: Timeline of royal fall amid Epstein link
She claimed powerful men – including Prince Andrew – took advantage of her.
Giuffre said Prince sexually assaulted her three times when she was under 18.
The Queen Mother previously occupied the Royal Lodge until her death, after which Andrew expressed an interest in moving into the property.
