Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the disgraced former Duke of York, was able to generate income by sub-letting three cottages on the grounds of Royal Lodge in Windsor, despite paying only a peppercorn rent for the main property, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report.
The lease for the 99-acre estate allowed him to rent out three of eight buildings in a private arrangement, keeping the proceeds. The NAO report did not clarify how much he earned or the duration of the sublets. A royal source claimed the cottages were let to staff at rates covering maintenance costs.
Norman Baker, a former Liberal Democrat minister and royal finance expert, called the arrangement 'outrageous', estimating the cottages could fetch £30,000 a year each, potentially netting Andrew £2 million over 20 years. He said: 'Every time you lift a royal stone, you find something nasty crawling underneath.'
Andrew surrendered the Royal Lodge lease in early 2025 and is now living at Marsh Farm in Sandringham. He will not receive compensation from the Crown Estate, reportedly between £300,000 and £400,000, due to dilapidation costs. The NAO also revealed that King Charles pays for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's accommodation, despite them being non-working royals.
