Politicians on the Public Accounts Committee have written to the Crown Estate seeking further information about Prince Andrew’s lease arrangements for his lavish mansion, Royal Lodge. The strongly worded letter piles pressure on the disgraced royal to move out of his 30-room home on the Windsor Estate, after it emerged he had only paid a “peppercorn rent” for the last two decades.
The letter asks the Crown Estate to answer a list of 14 questions, which includes whether the taxpayer is getting the best value for money from the current occupant of Royal Lodge, given that he is “no longer serving as a working member of the Royal Family or using their Royal titles, excepting that of Prince.” Earlier this month, Andrew voluntarily relinquished the use of his Duke of York title.
MPs write: “We are concerned as to whether the lease arrangements for Royal Lodge are, in light of recent developments and changes in the responsibilities of Prince Andrew, achieving the best value for money.”
They also ask whether it is “reasonable” that Andrew merely pays a token rent and want assurances that the proper maintenance of the property, as outlined in the lease, is being kept.
The letter ends by stating: “There is considerable and understandable public interest in the spending of public money in relation to Prince Andrew, which in part stems from the fact that he is no longer a working Royal and from serious and disturbing allegations made against him.”
MPs have requested a reply to be submitted “at the earliest possible date”, with a final deadline of November 28.
Commenting on the letter’s publication, Sir Geoffrey said: “The cross-party Public Accounts Committee which I Chair is united in taking our responsibility for upholding best value for taxpayers’ money very seriously. In that spirit, we feel it is reasonable to seek further information on the status of, and rationale for, the lease of Royal Lodge.
“We await responses to our questions from the Crown Estate Commissioners and HM Treasury. On receipt of these responses, the PAC will consider at that time whether to seek further information.”
