The Monarchy Has Decided the Fate of Andrew’s Former Residence—and It Sends a Clear Message
With Prince Andrew out of the picture, the 30-room Royal Lodge is heading to the rental market.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lost the perks of staying at Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion, after he was stripped of his titles and duties following his alleged connection to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the subsequent scandal. The former Duke of York has been residing solo at Marsh Farm, a property on the Sandringham estate. It has now been reported that the monarchy has decided to make his previous home available on the market starting in October.
According to The Daily Mail, the Crown Estate is seeking a private tenant for Royal Lodge, which has been sitting vacant since the former Duke of York's eviction. Despite earlier speculation about potential occupancy by Their Majesties, royal sources have confirmed that no one in the royal family is interested in making it their personal residence. While the property will now be offered as a private rental, prospective tenants should expect annual costs of approximately $541,583.46 (£400,000).
Mountbatten-Windsor originally secured a 75-year lease in 2003 for an estimated $11 million (£8 million), but the agreement unraveled following revelations about his connection to Epstein. It has been noted that Andrew retains the lease until the end of October, which delays any refurbishment work unless he agrees to surrender it early. However, this would also mean shifting the property's running costs to the Crown Estate's accounts.
"The Crown Estate is a business, so the bean counters there are relieved Andrew didn't give up his lease early, as the ongoing costs would have become their obligation, not Andrew's," a source told the publication. The property was shared with Sarah Ferguson, the former Duke of York's wife, who is expected back in the UK soon. Removal lorries indicate the difficulty of the clear-out amid significant clutter.
Although Andrew moved to his new residence at Marsh Farm in April and could have received compensation for complying with lease terms, the property has been deemed 'dilapidated.' Significantly, a report from the Crown Estate suggests that extensive repairs needed mean he is unlikely to qualify for compensation. Potentially expensive repairs may be carried out before actually putting the property up on the market and finding a new tenant. Alternatives like converting the property into a conference center, hotel, or school have reportedly been actively dismissed by the monarchy.
The source further added, "The Crown Estate's statutory duties require it to preserve the character of the estate as a royal park and forest. That means it has had to rule out turning it into a conference centre or commercial venture. The whole operation is going to cost the Crown Estate a lot of money and time." Meanwhile, apart from the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, no other family member has paid a visit to Andrew at Marsh Farms. He was recently invited to the annual summer gathering at Balmoral by the King, but declined the offer.
