Royal Lodge, the former Windsor home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, is expected to enter the private rental market, with tenants facing a staggering £400,000-a-year upkeep cost. The 30-room mansion became available after no royals, including King Charles III or Queen Camilla, expressed interest in taking it on following Andrew's departure.
Lease and renovation delays
Andrew remained the official leaseholder until the end of October, which means no renovations could begin before then unless he agreed to surrender the lease one month early. The former royal moved out earlier this year, with removal lorries seen outside the property.
Andrew took over the lease in 2003, paying £8 million to cover the rent for its 75-year duration. He shared the property with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who is reported to be returning to Britain in the coming days after leaving the UK following the emergence of correspondence between her and Epstein.
Background and legal issues
Andrew was stripped of his titles over his association with the late billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, though he has denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein's crimes. He was arrested in February this year on suspicion of misconduct in public office and released under investigation 11 hours later—the first arrest of a senior British royal since King Charles I in 1647.
A source told MailOnline: "The Crown Estate is a business, so the bean counters there are relieved Andrew didn't give up his lease early, as the ongoing costs would have become their obligation, not Andrew's."
Crown Estate constraints
The source added: "The Crown Estate's statutory duties require it to preserve the character of the estate as a royal park and forest. That means it has had to rule out turning it into a conference centre or commercial venture. The whole operation is going to cost the Crown Estate a lot of money and time."
