Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has moved to relinquish the lease on a second royal property, further simplifying his residential arrangements following the upheaval that has surrounded his housing in recent years.
The former Duke of York has asked to terminate his tenancy of East Lodge, a Grade II-listed thatched cottage located near Sunninghill Park, about five miles from Windsor Castle. Documents seen by the BBC indicate that the annual rent on the property had risen to just under £13,000.
The cottage, believed to have been used primarily for staff accommodation, forms part of the portfolio managed by the Crown Estate, an independent commercial body responsible for managing public royal assets on behalf of the Treasury. The estate is required to secure value for money for taxpayers rather than serving as a private royal landlord.
Andrew originally took on the lease in 1998, paying around £3,500 a year, with the rent rising over time in line with inflation and later reviews. The most recent adjustment last year increased the charge to approximately £12,922 annually.
The tenancy was due to continue until 2027, but the former royal has now requested early termination. The Crown Estate has indicated that the decision followed a Freedom of Information request submitted by the BBC, after which the request to end the lease was formally made.
The move comes weeks after Andrew vacated Royal Lodge, Windsor, where he had lived for nearly two decades under a controversial rental arrangement sometimes described in media reporting as “peppercorn rent”. His departure followed the stripping of his remaining public titles amid scrutiny over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, allegations which Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing in relation to.
Since leaving Windsor, he has relocated to Sandringham Estate, where he is staying at Wood Farm while renovation work continues on Marsh Farm, a home understood to be part of longer-term private accommodation arrangements.
The Crown Estate emphasises that the day-to-day occupancy of properties such as East Lodge is treated as a private matter, separate from the commercial lease itself. Previous records suggest the cottage may have housed employees associated with Andrew’s household rather than serving as his primary residence.
Andrew first acquired the East Lodge tenancy in February 1998 when it formed part of arrangements linked to the former royal’s earlier residence at Sunninghill Park, which had been sold in 2007 amid controversy after being purchased by a foreign buyer for several million pounds above the asking price.
The early termination of the lease adds another step to the restructuring of Andrew’s living and financial arrangements during a period of sustained public and political pressure surrounding his past links to Epstein and continuing scrutiny of royal property usage.
The former prince was approached for comment.
