Prince Andrew has not paid rent on his lavish mansion on the Windsor Estate in two decades.
The Times UK published a copy of the leasehold agreement for the 30-room Royal Lodge on Tuesday, which showed that the disgraced prince forked out £1 million ($2.06 million) for the lease and approximately £7.5 million (A$15.4 million) for refurbishments in 2005 – but since 2003, has paid “one peppercorn (if demanded)” in rent.
Andrew’s “cast-iron” lease allows him to stay there until 2078. He currently resides with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
According to the publication, the terms of the lease also include a clause which means that the Crown Estate – which manages the royal properties – would need to pay Andrew around a million dollars if he has to give up the lease, and he’d also receive a “compensatory sum” of £185,865 (A$383,286) annually until 2028.
Last year, the King cut off Andrew’s finances by stripping him of his £1 million (A$2.06 million) a year allowance.
The scandal surrounding Andrew reintensified this month as a result of a leaked email from Andrew to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, weeks after the date he’d declared they’d cut off all contact with each other.
In the very friendly note, sent a day after the infamous image of Andrew and a teenage Virginia Giuffre (then Roberts) was first published, Andrew told the billionaire that they were “in it together”, that they should “keep in close touch” and that they would “play some more soon”.
The new leaked email also coincided with the release Ms Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Girl, in which she details her alleged sexual encounters with Andrew, one of which she claimed happened when she was just 17 years old. Andrew has vehemently denied all wrongdoing.
As public pressure intensified last Friday, the King’s brother released a bombshell statement, UK time, announcing he was giving up the use of his Duke of York title and other honours in order to no longer “distract” from the important work of the monarchy.
Despite his decision, which came after tense conversations with the King and Prince William, some British MPs are demanding an act of Parliament to formally strip him of his titles.
Scottish National Party Leader Stephen Flynn on Monday led the charge, claiming there was “no justification” for the government not to take action against both Andrew and Lord Mandelson, who last month was fired as the UK ambassador to the US amid new allegations about his Epstein ties.
It comes as the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into claims that Andrew attempted to use the organisation to covertly look into his sex abuse accuser Ms Giuffre for a smear campaign.
He has always strenuously denied Ms Giuffre’s claims.
It’s alleged by the Mail on Sunday that he somehow accessed her private social security number and date of birth, passing them on to his taxpayer-funded bodyguard.
According to the publication, he then sent an email to the late Queen’s deputy press secretary, Ed Perkins, outlining what he’d done – just hours before the infamous picture of he and Ms Giuffre (then Roberts) was published.
“It would also seem she has a criminal record in the [United] States.
“I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer].”
The Met has now confirmed it is “actively looking into the claims made”.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.news.com.au ’
