Andrew’s disgrace also has a cost for the royal family. Charles III is said to have lent his brother 1.5 million pounds to settle debts relating to his former residence, Royal Lodge. The British monarch would have made this sum, from his private income, available to the ex-prince so that the Crown Estate, responsible for the management of Royal Lodge, was paid on time. The Crown Estate is an independent company established by Parliament to manage real estate in the United Kingdom which is nominally owned by the King, but is administered for the benefit of taxpayers.
Charles had asked Andrew to leave the luxurious Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle because of his links to Jeffrey Epstein. In February, Andrew moved to a property in Sandringham. According to the Crown Estate, he faced a bill of £1.8 million due to the dilapidated state of the property. He then benefited from a credit of 302,000 pounds for having ended the lease before its end. This left around £1.5 million in debt, which Charles would have paid.
A symbolic rent
“The lease of Royal Lodge has expired and we are now firmly focused on its future use as well as the opportunities to generate additional financial value for the nation through its early return,” the Crown Estate said.
The fact that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor continued to live at the Royal Lodge despite the scandal sparked controversy, especially since he only paid a nominal rent for this luxury residence. The ex-prince concluded a 75-year lease for Royal Lodge in 2003. At the time, he was still an active member of the royal family and represented his mother at public events.
