King Charles made the bold decision earlier this year to force his younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, to move out of his Royal Lodge home in Windsor. However, a royal commentator has now suggested it could one day be a decision the monarch comes to regret.
The 30-room mansion, which Andrew has shared with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, since 2008, has been the subject of huge controversy in recent weeks after it emerged that he had only paid a “peppercorn” sum of rent for several years. The revelation sparked a huge backlash over the Royal Family’s finances and the details of their leases with the Crown Estate, so much so that the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has launched an investigation. A former adviser to King Charles told the Daily Mail’s Editor at Large, Richard Kay: “Seeing what the King can do with a swish of his famously ill-functioning pen has emboldened critics who would like to shake up the whole royal system. They sense vulnerability.”
With the details of the scandal now having expanded to review the leases of other members of the Royal Family, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, Ingrid Seward, said: “The Crown Estate contains a huge number of properties but most of us haven’t been aware of what exactly is out there, and until now, few of us have cared to ask.”
“Now, that has changed, which means Andrew has opened the door to a lot of problems for his family and the way they live,” reports The Times.
The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is set to investigate the terms of other royal properties owned by the Crown Estate.
Any profits from the Crown Estate, which manages the hereditary assets owned by the monarch, are given to the Treasury, in exchange for money that funds public work by the Royal Family, otherwise known as the Sovereign Grant.
Among those whose leases are being scrutinised are Princess Alexandra, the late Queen Elizabeth’s elderly cousin, who has lived in a Crown Estate Grade II listed property, Thatched House Lodge, since 1963.
She has been paying just £225 a month to live in the home in Richmond Park, well below the average rent in London for a home with six bedrooms and six reception rooms.
However, supporters have been vocal about the fact that the frail 88-year-old has dedicated much of her life to charity work and attending events on behalf of the Royal Family.
Several other members of the Royal Family live in Windsor, including Prince William and Princess Catherine, although they famously insisted on paying a market-value rent for their new home, Forest Lodge, which is said to cost upwards of £15,000 a month.
