Prince Andrew will be permitted to reside at the Royal Lodge in Windsor for another twelve months, despite a direct order from King Charles to vacate the property. A parliamentary inquiry has uncovered the legal and financial details of his controversial lease, sparking renewed scrutiny over royal finances.
Lease Clause Grants Extended Stay Until 2026
Details released by the Crown Estate confirm that the disgraced Duke of York is legally entitled to remain in the 30-room Grade II-listed mansion until October 2026. This is due to a specific clause in his lease, which requires a minimum of twelve months' notice for its surrender.
According to the documents, Andrew served a formal "Tenant's Notice offering to Surrender the Lease" on The Crown Estate on 30 October 2025. This action triggered the one-year notice period, effectively allowing him to stay until 30 October 2026. During this final year, he remains financially responsible for all maintenance and repair costs for the vast property.
Public Spending Watchdog Demands Answers
The arrangement has drawn fierce criticism from MPs on the powerful Public Accounts Committee, which scrutinises value for public money. Their inquiry was launched after it emerged that Andrew secured a 75-year lease on Royal Lodge in 2003 for £1 million, with an annual rent of just a "peppercorn" – a token amount.
The committee, often called the 'queen of select committees', demanded explanations from both the Treasury and the Crown Estate. The Crown Estate's chief executive, Dan Labbad, provided the property details which have now been made public.
Compensation Claim Unlikely Amid Repair Costs
The lease terms indicated that Andrew could have been entitled to a compensation payment of £488,342.21 for ending his tenancy early. However, the Crown Estate has stated this is now improbable.
Following an inspection of the property on 12 November, officials concluded that the cost of necessary repairs and dilapidations would likely offset any compensation owed. "Our initial assessment is that... once dilapidations are taken into account, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will not be owed any compensation for early surrender of the lease," a statement read.
Despite his legal right to stay, it is widely expected that the former prince will relocate to a smaller residence on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk early in the New Year. This move is seen as an attempt to avoid awkward encounters with the royal family, who traditionally spend Christmas at Sandringham.
This development follows King Charles's decision at the end of October to formally strip his brother of his HRH style, prince title, and dukedom. This severe demotion was a direct response to Andrew's association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and what the Palace termed "serious lapses" in judgment.
