Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor finds himself under renewed examination following revelations about his financial dealings on his Windsor estate. According to a recent government report, Andrew charged rent for cottages on his property despite enjoying rent-free accommodations himself.
The investigation, carried out by the U.K.’s National Audit Office (NAO), uncovered that the 66-year-old prince subleased three out of the eight properties situated on his Royal Lodge estate. This arrangement is part of his lease agreement with The Crown Estate, where he has resided for over two decades.
Furthermore, the report highlights that his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, benefit from a rent-free living situation in royal palaces. This setup was orchestrated by their late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September 2022, with King Charles III covering their rent through his private funds.
Prince Andrew’s future within the royal family appears uncertain, as Buckingham Palace initiates steps to strip him of his royal titles. In October 2025, he declared that he would “no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon” him, a decision influenced by his association with the disgraced financier, now deceased, who was a convicted sex offender.
The report did not specify the exact amount Andrew profited from leasing out the cottages.
NAO’s audit offers a rare glimpse into the British royal family’s property arrangements, detailing how homes linked to the former Duke of York were used before he was exiled from the mansion in February of this year.
The report came after news in October 2025 that Andrew had not paid rent on his Windsor residence for more than 20 years, per a leasehold agreement obtained by The Times.
Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate. MEGA
It was noted at the time that Andrew paid “one peppercorn (if demanded)” in rent per year since 2003, while he and his family were entitled to live in the 30-room property until 2078. Per reports, Andrew paid $1.3 million upfront and covered at least $10 million for refurbishments in 2005.
Andrew was formerly known as Prince Andrew until his brother, 77, stripped him of his titles over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein last fall in late 2025. Soon after, King Charles demanded that his sibling surrender the lease, at which point Andrew was to relocate temporarily to Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
The disgraced royal now stays at Marsh Farm, where he was last seen with a noticeable purple bruise on the right side of his face, specifically under his eye, during a car ride on Thursday, June 4. The Times and The Telegraph claimed his bruise is due to a medical condition.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor might not be getting his payout for moving out of the Royal Lodge. Recent reports suggest that Andrew, 65, was set to receive a nearly $728,000 (£558,000) payout as part of a past agreement regarding his living situation. However, that all changed when the disgraced royal family member’s title was stripped. Us […]
Andrew has been keeping a low profile after his arrest in February.
The Thames Valley Police confirmed earlier this year that Andrew was booked on “suspicion of misconduct in public office,” following which King Charles issued a statement.
“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” the monarch shared at the time. “What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and cooperation.”