Overview
- The Public Accounts Committee is preparing to open a formal inquiry into the Crown Estate after disclosures about Prince Andrew’s Royal Lodge rent deal.
- Initial answers to MPs indicate Andrew would have been due £488,342.21 for early lease surrender in 2026, but a 12 November inspection found dilapidations that make compensation unlikely.
- The Crown Estate confirmed the Prince and Princess of Wales have a 20-year, non-assignable lease for Forest Lodge and are paying open market rent.
- Royal commentator Jennie Bond warned wider rent reviews could be uncomfortable for some royals and urged greater transparency and a leaner property portfolio.
- Reporting suggests scrutiny could extend to other arrangements, including peppercorn rents said to involve the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.