NAO Report Details Prince Andrew Royal Lodge Lets
A National Audit Office report has set out new details about royal residence arrangements, including claims that Prince Andrew received rental income from sub-letting cottages on the Royal Lodge estate and that King Charles pays rent for palace accommodation used by Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. The findings are part of the first public spending watchdog report into royal residences in 20 years, produced to inform parliamentary scrutiny.
The report said Prince Andrew received an undisclosed rental income from sub-letting three cottages on the Royal Lodge estate, which he leases from the Crown Estate, BBC News reported.
The NAO review found Prince Andrew and his family and staff had access to 12 properties owned by the Crown Estate or the Royal Household, and noted that his lease on Royal Lodge runs until October 2026 even though he has moved to Sandringham. It said the lease allowed three nearby cottages to be sub-let and that sub-letting continued until April 2026, with palace sources telling the BBC the rentals were to staff or retired staff and covered running costs.
The report also stated that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, who are not working royals, have properties in St James’s Palace and Kensington Palace with rent paid by the monarch’s privy purse to the Royal Household, while the buildings are maintained via the Sovereign Grant. The NAO did not specify the amount of rent paid, but said it is intended to be set at 60% of the open market rate; a palace source told the BBC the rent would cover any publicly funded expenditure so there would be no additional cost to taxpayers.
The publication of the NAO findings comes ahead of further examination by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee and is likely to intensify debate about transparency and value for money in royal property arrangements. Buckingham Palace said the report was in line with the Royal Household’s commitment to transparency and would help clarify how properties are managed depending on tenants, location and purpose.
