Another senior royal has been revealed to be paying a peppercorn rent for his mansion, mirroring the controversial deal that disgraced former prince Andrew held for Royal Lodge. Prince Edward, now the Duke of Edinburgh, resides at the 120-room Bagshot Park in Surrey with his wife Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
The Times reports that Edward paid £5 million upfront for a 150-year lease on the Crown Estate property, after which his annual rent dropped to a nominal peppercorn. The lease also includes no restrictions on a future sale, only requiring the new tenant to cover upkeep costs. Edward originally leased the property in 1998 for £50,000 per year, later rising to £90,000 after he spent £1.36 million on renovations, and extended the lease in 2007 via his company Eclipse Nominees Limited.
Unlike Andrew, who was stripped of his titles and forced to leave Royal Lodge due to his association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Edward and Sophie remain working members of the Royal Family. They represent the King and support charities both at home and abroad.
Meanwhile, Andrew's eviction from Royal Lodge appears to be delayed until February, according to The Sun. The move to a smaller property on the King's Sandringham estate was expected in the new year, but logistical challenges and the need to prepare his new home have pushed the timeline back. A source said, “He has a large house where he has lived for a long time and he will be moving into a more modest house so, logically, it won’t happen this side of Christmas.”
The delay means Andrew will spend one final Christmas at Royal Lodge, which insiders say is a welcome relief for the Royal Family as it keeps him away from Sandringham during the festive season, avoiding what would have been a “suboptimal” and “quite awkward” situation.
