Prince Andrew Earned Over £2,000 Monthly From Royal Lodge Cottage Sublets

POLICY WIRE — London, UK — The disgraced former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor generated monthly income exceeding £2,000 through the subletting of properties located on the Royal Lodge estate.

According to a report released by the Public Accounts Committee on Friday, the former Duke of York leased one specific cottage to an employee of the royal family. This individual paid a rate below standard market value for the majority of a 22-year lease.

The records further indicate that between late 2021 and an unspecified period lasting less than a year, Andrew sublet three different cottages. During this timeframe, he paid only a peppercorn rent for these properties.

These arrangements produced a combined revenue of more than £2,000 per month before accounting for expenses and maintenance costs. The rental figures were reportedly based on a percentage of the tenant’s salary and remained below current market rates.

The financial details emerged via formal correspondence from James Chalmers, who serves as the Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the King, to the committee.

Chalmers noted that the data was provided by the Household of Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor and was shared to promote openness and transparency.

The official letter, dated 7 September 2026, stated that the disclosure was made with the former prince’s consent.

It also clarified that while the committee offered to keep the information private during the hearing, Andrew was agreeable for the details to be made public knowledge.

However, the report did not provide the total income earned by the prince over the last two decades, making an accurate cumulative calculation impossible based on the available data.

Chalmers explained he did not have access to the historical records or underlying documentation, though he shared his understanding of the situation.

Andrew was removed from the Royal Lodge in February following controversies regarding his association with convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein. He currently resides at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

A cross-party group of lawmakers recommended that a ban on subletting should become the standard procedure for the Crown Estate.

The committee noted that they could not extract specific lessons from the Royal Lodge arrangement, describing that particular lease as a product of a different era.

While the recommendations did not explicitly forbid future subletting of Crown Estate properties, they insisted that all future leases include a standard clause prohibiting the practice unless the landlord, the Crown Estate, grants prior permission.

The committee emphasized that such permission should not be withheld arbitrarily and expected the Crown Estate to provide necessary financial data.

The future status of the Royal Lodge remains undecided, but the committee asserted that the Crown Estate must use this experience to shape future leasing policies.

The investigation also examined the Royal Household, calling for a uniform policy regarding rent settings for residential properties. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie paid based on outdated market valuations.

Until this year, Eugenie’s rent for Ivy Cottage was tied to 2018 figures, while Beatrice’s apartment in St James’s Palace used a 2020 valuation.

Current rental rates are set at 64 percent of the 2026 market value for Eugenie and 68 percent for Beatrice.

The Crown Estate is a £17 billion portfolio of land and seabed that provides profits to the Treasury. While the monarch holds the estate during their reign, it is not private property, and they do not manage the assets personally.

A representative for The Crown Estate stated that the committee report is a vital component of their accountability to Parliament, noting they are reviewing the findings and will provide a response in due.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)