Prince Andrew is reportedly in advanced discussions with King Charles's senior aides about moving out of Royal Lodge, his 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park. The talks come after a week of intense scrutiny over his 'peppercorn' rent tenancy, which has drawn criticism from MPs and the public.
The public accounts committee has confirmed it is writing to the Crown Estate and the Treasury after it emerged that Andrew paid £1 million for the lease in 2003 and was required to cover £7.5 million in refurbishment costs. Since then, he has paid only a symbolic 'one peppercorn' rent per year, if demanded.
Buckingham Palace is reportedly increasing pressure on the prince to voluntarily give up the residence, which he cannot be evicted from due to a 'cast iron' lease with the Crown Estate running until 2078. Discussions over his living arrangements have been held daily since the revelations, according to The Telegraph.
While Andrew initially resisted, insisting he is entitled to stay until the lease ends, negotiations continue with a growing sense of inevitability that he will move out. Royal sources cited a 'renewed determination' to force him out. Should he leave, under the lease terms, he would be entitled to £558,000.
The question of where Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, would go remains unclear. The King is understood to have withdrawn financial support last year, and it is unknown how Andrew would pay rent elsewhere. The royal family sought to distance itself from the Epstein controversy after Andrew voluntarily relinquished his titles and honours last week, though calls persist for their complete removal.
