Prince Andrew's residence, Royal Lodge, a 30-room Grade II-listed Georgian mansion in Windsor Great Park, has come under intense public scrutiny. The discredited prince reportedly pays only a 'peppercorn' rent for the property, which sits on 40 hectares of secluded grounds. The Crown Estate owns the lodge, and its lease runs until 2078.
The mansion features a formal room, a spacious drawing room, a conservatory, and a saloon measuring approximately 15 metres by 9 metres. It has seven bedrooms and is so large that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie held their wedding receptions there. Inside, the style is described as classic elegance with antique furniture, rugs, and art from the royal collection.
The grounds include a chapel lodge, six cottages, a gardener's cottage, and police security accommodation. There is also a miniature thatched cottage, Y Bwthyn Bach, originally given to Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. The estate boasts a swimming pool, a driving range, and tennis courts.
Despite its grandeur, Royal Lodge requires an estimated £2 million in repairs, with peeling stucco and black mould visible externally. Andrew reportedly paid £200,000 for roof repairs and has promised King Charles he will undertake further repairs, though his finances are uncertain after Charles cut his £1 million annual allowance. His only declared income is a £20,000 naval pension.
Andrew took over the lease after the death of his grandmother, the Queen Mother, in 2002. He paid £1 million and agreed to a peppercorn rent in exchange for restoring the lodge, spending an estimated £7.5 million. The Crown Estate did not seek other bidders due to security concerns, according to a 2005 National Audit Office report.
