Public Outrage Over Andrew's Royal Lodge Lease

Documents show Prince Andrew holds a long lease on the 30-room Royal Lodge that requires only a symbolic “peppercorn” rent after he paid reported upfront sums (around £5m for repairs, £2.5m to buy out future rent and a £1m premium) when the lease began in 2003. The revelations have provoked public outrage, protests outside Windsor Great Park and intensified scrutiny from Parliament, with the cross-party Public Accounts Committee writing to the Crown Estate and HM Treasury. Andrew said last week he would no longer use his royal titles, but he technically still holds them unless Parliament acts, and the lodge has become the focal point of calls for him to vacate. Insiders say King Charles is under pressure and reports suggest officials have urged Andrew to accept relocation to remote properties such as the Castle of Mey or to more modest homes like Frogmore Cottage, while commentators have speculated about options abroad. The row is compounding broader reputational problems for the monarchy amid ongoing allegations and scrutiny of Andrew.