Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice have been dealt a significant financial blow, reportedly losing the chance to inherit a £30 million estate following a decisive move by King Charles III concerning their father, Prince Andrew.
The End of a Royal Tenure
Prince Andrew has been formally ordered to vacate the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor, his home for over two decades. The Duke of York had held a 75-year lease on the property, signed with the Crown Estate back in 2003. It was widely believed that he intended to one day pass this valuable leasehold asset on to his daughters.
However, following renewed scrutiny in October over his past association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, King Charles initiated action. The monarch moved to strip his brother of his remaining royal titles and issued a notice to quit the Royal Lodge, which Andrew shared with his ex-wife, Sarah, the Duchess of York.
A Door Closed on Inheritance
Property expert Elliot Castle, from We Buy Any Home, has clarified the stark implications of this eviction for the princesses. He stated that any possibility of inheriting Royal Lodge has now been ruled out "entirely".
"[This] would only have been possible while the lease remained in place," Castle explained. "Once that lease is surrendered or terminated, there is nothing to pass on. From a property standpoint, that closes the door entirely. Royal Lodge would revert fully to the Crown Estate, with no residual claim for Andrew or his daughters."
Financial and Personal Fallout
The expert highlighted the substantial value of what is being lost. Royal Lodge is not merely a residence but a major long-term leasehold asset. Terminating the lease early strips away its remaining financial worth, which reports suggest could represent a loss of around £500,000 in sunk costs and lost investment.
"Royal Lodge offered security, status, and a long lease that justified significant personal investment," Castle added. "Losing that arrangement early inevitably results in sunk costs that can't be recovered." Prince Andrew, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding his friendship with Epstein, is expected to relocate to a property on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk by Easter.
Meanwhile, the lives of his daughters continue elsewhere. Princess Eugenie, her husband Jack Brooksbank, and their two children live at Ivy Cottage on the Kensington Palace grounds and own a home in Portugal. Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and their two children are settled in a home in the Cotswolds.
