Former Prince Andrew has been asked to give up another royal residence as the disgraced royal has to return the keys to the East Lodge.
Amongst the many other titles and patronages, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has to now surrender the East Lodge, which he has been leasing from 1998 from the Crown Estate. The lodge can be described as a Grade II-listed, thatched cottage.
Prince Andrew had been paying $17,293 as the annual rent for the property, which would normally rent at $10,000 per month. His lease term was going to end in 2027, but according to the Crown Estate, which told the BBC,
“Since then… we have received a request for us to consider an early termination of the lease,” referring to his recently revealed connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
The Crown Estate boasts a vast portfolio, which includes land, seabed and urban centers around the U.K, and functions as an independent, commercial business.
Former Prince Andrew arrested
The ex-prince was arrested on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Due to his mentions in the Epstein files as well as problematic controversies over the years, he has been stripped of many of his titles and perks as a member of the royal family.
This includes his titles of Duke of York, which he got through marriage, Baron of Killyleagh, Earl of Inverness, as well as being called His Royal Highness, which was revoked in 2022. Andrew had 200 patronages under him, but English National Ballet, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Outward Bound Trust, and more have stopped their connection to him. His military appointments were suspended in 2019.
Edited by Sohini Biswas