Overview
- At Prime Minister’s Questions, Keir Starmer said he supports proper scrutiny of Crown properties, backing a select committee inquiry that could call Prince Andrew to give evidence.
- Lease documents show Andrew took a 75-year Royal Lodge lease in 2003 with a £1 million premium and about £7.5 million of refurbishments, after which the rent is set at one peppercorn a year.
- Reports detail a compensation clause under which the Crown Estate would owe Andrew about £558,000 if he surrendered the lease, with further payments cited in some coverage until 2028.
- MPs on the Public Accounts Committee are pushing to examine the financial arrangements, as senior politicians including Chancellor Rachel Reeves question whether the current setup is acceptable.
- The push for scrutiny follows renewed attention from Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir and leaked emails about Andrew’s Epstein ties; Andrew denies wrongdoing and previously agreed to stop using his titles, which can only be formally removed by legislation.