Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor reportedly received just over £2,000 a month from Royal Lodge cottages during a brief subletting period.
James Chalmers, the Keeper of the Privy Purse and Treasurer to the king, outlined the figures in a letter to the Public Accounts Committee. The 66-year-old’s total subletting income remains unknown because the available information does not cover the full tenancy.
MPs now want future Crown Estate leases to prohibit subletting unless the landlord gives prior permission. Their recommendations would tighten controls without ruling out every arrangement.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s Royal Lodge subletting income explained
Crucially, the monthly figure covered income before maintenance costs and other expenses, rather than a confirmed profit.
According to the letter, Andrew rented out all three cottages from late 2021 for less than a year. The exact period was not disclosed.
For most of his 22-year tenancy, he sublet one cottage to an existing tenant who worked for the royal family. That rent was below market rate.
The rental figures were described as reflecting a percentage of salary.
The treasurer obtained the information from Andrew’s household, with Andrew agreeing it could be made public. However, James said he had not accessed the underlying documents or historical records.
The disclosure therefore does not establish how much Andrew received across more than two decades at Royal Lodge.
What MPs want changed after the Royal Lodge inquiry
The committee wants the Crown Estate to obtain relevant financial details when considering permission for subletting. MPs also said permission should not be refused unreasonably.
Andrew, the former Duke of York, officially surrendered his Royal Lodge lease in October last year. It came amid growing scrutiny over his past association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.
He had been paying a peppercorn rent on Royal Lodge before his eviction.
The property’s future use has not yet been decided. The committee said lessons from the arrangement should shape future decisions about Royal Lodge.
Crown Estate considers the committee’s recommendations
The Crown Estate returns its profits to the Treasury for public spending. It is not the king’s private property, and he does not manage its assets.
A Crown Estate spokesperson said: “The PAC report is an important part of our accountability to Parliament. We are considering its findings and recommendations and will respond to the Committee in due course.”
Buckingham Palace said it would carefully consider the committee’s recommendation as part of its commitment to continuous improvement.
Representatives for Andrew have been contacted for comment.
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