Landlord Andrew funded his lavish life-style renting out royal properties

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been urged to pay again an “outrageous” rental revenue after an investigation revealed that the previous prince sublet three cottages at his Royal Lodge property.

The former Duke of York obtained the rental cash whereas paying solely a “peppercorn” lease for his personal 30-room mansion on the Windsor property for greater than twenty years.

Mountbatten-Windsor’s standing as a landlord emerged from a National Audit Office report into royal residential preparations following controversy over his Crown Estate lease.

Other findings by the general public spending watchdog embrace the revelation that King Charles foots the invoice for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s lodging in royal palaces – regardless of each being non-working royals.

Andrew may doubtlessly have obtained £180,000 a yr from three cottages on the unique property throughout his later years in Windsor, property specialists estimated. Over the course of twenty years, the whole might have amounted to greater than £2m.

Under the association, he didn’t should return any cash to the Crown Estate, an unbiased industrial operation which returns its income to the Treasury for the advantage of taxpayers.

Royal observers informed The i Paper that the previous Duke’s rental revenue might assist clarify how he was in a position to fund such a “lavish lifestyle” through the years.

Some referred to as on Mountbatten-Windsor – stripped of his titles over ties to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – to clarify whether or not he used rental cash to pay any authorized payments in recent times.

Sources advised Andrew’s subletting didn’t generate a internet revenue, and that the lease on the cottages was set at a price to solely cowl upkeep and operating prices for employees residing there.

But no figures, similar to restore and prices versus rental revenue on the cottages, or copies of the rental agreements, have been made public to confirm how a lot he might have obtained.

Rent at sublet cottages was ‘payable to Andrew’

The property in Great Windsor Park is believed to comprise six cottages, a gardener’s cottage and lodging for safety workers, in addition to the primary 30-room home.

Andrew was entitled to sublet three properties below the phrases of his lease with the Crown Estate, which started in 2004.

The lease was agreed on the idea he would spend £7.5m renovating the property, which the Crown Estate confirmed he did. This diminished his upfront, capital premium cost to £1m, alongside a nominal or “peppercorn” lease.

“Three cottages on the Royal Lodge estate were also sublet with income generated from subletting payable to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,” the NAO report launched on Friday said.

It shouldn’t be recognized whether or not Andrew’s sublet cottages had been persistently rented out, however the association led to April 2026. He lastly stop Royal Lodge earlier this yr, shifting to the King’s personal, smaller Sandringham property in Norfolk.

Andrew urged to ‘pay the money back’

The former Liberal Democrat minister Norman Baker stated it was “outrageous” that Andrew had been in a position to acquire rental revenue whereas at Windsor.

He ought to now “pay the money back to the Crown Estate”, even when he complied with the phrases of the lease, stated Baker, writer of Royal Mint: National Debt.

Calling for Mountbatten-Windsor to be clear concerning the sums he obtained, Baker added: “There was nothing whatsoever to stop him using the rental income on his lavish lifestyle. Was he using his dubious gains to fund his legal bills?”

A high-end three-bedroom cottage in an unique a part of Berkshire may get no less than £5,000 a month in rental revenue, one luxurious property professional informed The i Paper.

They estimated that Andrew may have doubtlessly obtained no less than £180,000 a yr from three such cottages by the point he left the Royal Lodge.

Factoring in lease will increase over the previous 20 years, the property professional – who didn’t want to be named – stated Andrew may have doubtlessly remodeled £2m in rental revenue throughout his time at Windsor.

Baker in contrast the state of affairs on the Royal Lodge to the subletting which Prince Edward and Sophie had been in a position to do at their Crown Estate-leased residence at Bagshot Park in Surrey.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh had been reportedly in a position to cost as much as £130,000 a yr from subletting the stables at Bagshot Park as much as 2020.

Baker stated it was “not impossible” that Mountbatten-Windsor’s rental revenue had been within the “same ball park as that”.

“If that’s an over-estimate, let him come out and tell us,” stated the previous minister.

Rental revenue solely a part of the ‘jigsaw puzzle’

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, stated the “special deal” which allowed subletting “will seem unjust to ordinary people”, even when Andrew was complying with the phrases of the lease.

“It appears he [Mountbatten-Windsor] lived a lavish lifestyle. This extra income would have helped him,” added Fitzwilliams. “It’s part of the jigsaw puzzle on his finances. But there is still so much we don’t know about his lifestyle. It remains mysterious.”

The rental revenue “adds to the picture on how he was able to pay for the upkeep of the lodge, and helped fund his lifestyle”, stated Dr Craig Prescott, a constitutional professional at Royal Holloway, University of London.

“We don’t know [if he used the rental income for legal bills] – there wouldn’t have been any restriction, he would have used the money how he sees fit,” added Dr Prescott, writer of Modern Monarchy.

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by Thames Valley Police in February over allegations he handed delicate data to Epstein whereas serving as UK commerce envoy. He was launched below investigation and denied wrongdoing.

In 2022, Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre – who died earlier this yr – reportedly value round £12m. The Daily Telegraph reported that the late Queen helped foot the authorized invoice from her personal funds.

But it stays unsure precisely how he settled the civil case, during which Giuffre accused him of sexual assault. Andrew made no act of contrition and he has all the time denied any claims of wrongdoing.

Pressure to disclaim Andrew any compensation owed

Andrew’s rental revenue from his time at Windsor will “reinforce an existing perception” that he benefitted from privileges “unavailable to most people”, stated Lauren Beeching, a disaster communications specialist.

Mountbatten-Windsor might face rising calls “for the [rental] money to be repaid”, she added.

Andrew might not obtain a compensation cost he’s due for giving up his Royal Lodge lease early – which may quantity to £301,967.

The Crown Estate beforehand stated in a letter to MPs on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that he’s unlikely to obtain this cash as a result of the constructing is in want of great repairs.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, it [the rental income] will add to the pressure for him not to get any compensation,” stated Andrew Moran, a professor of politics at London Metropolitan University.

“The public will be unhappy with profiting in any way from arrangements from when he was part of the Royal Family.”

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson stated: “We are grateful to the National Audit Office for this report, which is in line with the Royal Household’s commitment to transparency.”

They stated preparations for properties managed by the Royal Household “vary based on a number of factors to ensure residences are filled appropriately, depending on their location, tenants and purpose”.

A Crown Estate spokesperson stated the NAO report confirmed that leases with members of the Royal Family “were agreed in line with independent, professional advice and open-market valuations”.

MPs on the Public Accounts Committee are anticipated to grill officers additional as a part of their deliberate investigation on preparations on royal residences.