Andrew Could Remain at Royal Lodge for Another Year — but He Won't Get Any Money Back
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor gains extra time at Royal Lodge, but Crown Estate assessments make clear his compensation bid is now out of reach.
Despite King Charles’s efforts to bring a close to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's controversies, luck might not be in his favor. Fresh documents from the Crown Estate now suggest that the disgraced royal can legally stay put at Royal Lodge for up to another year, even though he has already agreed to vacate the property. The reason is quite straightforward. On the same day Buckingham Palace confirmed the removal of his titles, the 65-year-old submitted the required twelve months’ notice on October 30. That single formality gives him far more time on the Windsor Estate than many had expected.
Officials have stressed that the notice does not necessarily change the wider plan already in place. On paper, he can stay at his 30-room residence until October 30, 2026, though Palace aides still expect him to shift to a smaller residence on Sandringham Estate early next year. While he might see some advantage in his living situation, the Crown Estate’s update casts doubt on any prospect of payout once he hands back the keys. The organization explained that its first inspection suggested that the property would need enough repairs to wipe out any financial return.
The statement read, "Our initial assessment is that while the extent of end of tenancy dilapidations and repairs required are not out of keeping with a tenancy of this duration, they will mean in all likelihood that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will not be owed any compensation for early surrender of the lease… once dilapidations are taken into account." Had the property been in suitable condition, the figure he might have received would have stood at £488,342.21 (roughly $620,000) for ending the arrangement in October 2026.
Considered one of the most magnificent royal homes within Windsor Great Park, Royal Lodge has been Mountbatten-Windsor’s residence since 2004. The property was previously occupied by the Queen Mother, and after her death in 2002, the 75-year lease was formally transferred to the former Prince in 2003. While his lease was set to run until 2078, renewed scrutiny of his ties with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein placed him back under a harsh spotlight. In response to the mounting pressure, King Charles took several steps to restore the image as well as the credibility of the monarchy, which had suffered a significant blow due to the disgraced royal’s conduct.
While there is a strong likelihood that Mountbatten-Windsor won’t be getting a substantial payout, he did use his own private funds to renovate the Grade II-listed property between 2003 and 2005. As per ABC, the total refurbishment of the residence cost the 65-year-old around $9.5 million. Along with this, he also paid a one-off $1.25 million premium to secure the lease. Taken together, these upfront costs brought his initial outlay to roughly $10.8 million. Given that level of investment, walking away without a single penny would be a significant blow for the disgraced royal. Earlier reports even suggested that he had hoped to secure a payout of about $99 million to ‘even think’ about vacating Royal Lodge. But with the Crown Estate’s recent update, that figure appears increasingly out of reach.
