02 September 2026 , 08:14
498
0
Last October, Buckingham Palace announced former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, would be moving out of Royal Lodge and into a property on the Sandringham Estate. He formally moved out of Royal Lodge in February 2026 and is now living at Marsh Farm.
The vacancy at Royal Lodge means the Crown Estate is looking for a new tenant. The Crown Estate—a collection of lands and holdings belonging to the British monarch—is reportedly searching for a "wealthy individual" to rent Royal Lodge starting this October.
The Daily Mail reported that despite rumors King Charles or Queen Camilla "could take over the Windsor property...royal sources insisted that no members of the Royal Family have expressed an interest in the 30-room mansion."
The paper noted, "Instead, it will become a private residence – the caveat being that its next tenant will need to be able to afford its estimated £400,000-a-year upkeep. Another sticking point is the fact that Andrew officially still owns the lease of Royal Lodge until the end of October, which means no renovations can take place until that point – unless he agrees to offload the lease a month early. But if he does so, it would potentially leave the Crown Estate with a bill for its monthly costs."
Mountbatten-Windsor leased Royal Lodge starting in 2003. He paid "one peppercorn (if demanded)" in rent per year to the Crown Estate, a phrase used to signify that rent technically exists to make the lease valid but in actuality means no money is paid. The estimated upkeep on the property is around £400,000 ($541,676) a year.
"The Crown Estate’s statutory duties require it to preserve the character of the estate as a royal park and forest. That means it has had to rule out turning it into a conference centre or commercial venture," a source told the Mail. "The whole operation is going to cost the Crown Estate a lot of money and time."
World Affairs Correspondent