A powerful parliamentary committee is set to launch an investigation into the Crown Estate, a move experts warn could prove deeply "uncomfortable" for the Royal Family. The probe follows public outrage over revelations about the Duke of York's financial arrangements for his Windsor home.
Peppercorn Rent Deal Sparks Public Spending Inquiry
The Public Accounts Committee, a influential group of MPs, will examine the estate's management after details of Prince Andrew's lease for Royal Lodge emerged. The disgraced royal was stripped of his titles in October and evicted from the mansion when it was revealed he was paying a minimal "peppercorn" rent to the Crown Estate.
As profits from the Crown Estate flow directly into the public treasury, the watchdog is investigating whether taxpayers have lost out on significant value. This scrutiny has now widened, with the discovery that other royals, including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, also benefit from similar low-rent deals.
William's Future Challenge and a £500,000 Compensation Clawback
Royal commentator Jennie Bond told the Mirror that while the family won't welcome a comprehensive rent review, they must accept the need for greater transparency in monarchy finances. "I think they will accept that it’s high time that the monarchy’s finances were more transparent," she stated.
Bond believes the long-term fallout may land at the feet of the future king, suggesting "William will be the one" to substantially reduce the family's property portfolio if changes aren't made before his reign. For now, she said, royals must accept their rental agreements are under the microscope.
In initial disclosures to the committee, it was revealed that Andrew faces losing approximately £500,000 in compensation. He was due to receive £488,342.21 for ending his Royal Lodge tenancy early on 30 October 2026, but a property inspection in November makes payment now unlikely. He is expected to move to the King's private Sandringham estate after Christmas.
Market Rent for Wales, But No Sympathy for Others
The Crown Estate confirmed a contrast in arrangements for senior working royals. The Prince and Princess of Wales hold a 20-year lease on their new home, Forest Lodge, commencing 5 July 2025, for which they pay an "open market rent." The family moved in during the October half-term.
Jennie Bond noted that while William and Catherine have little to fear from the inquiry, other royals should not expect public sympathy. "None of them can possibly pretend to be impoverished," she asserted. "By normal standards, they are all extraordinarily wealthy and perfectly able to pay a market rent — or move to somewhere smaller if they don’t want to."
The scandal erupted after King Charles officially removed his brother's HRH style, prince title, and dukedom from the Roll of the Peerage in late October, citing "serious lapses" of judgment. This action followed the publication of documents linking Andrew to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
