'Sweetheart Deal' Exposed: Former Prince Andrew's 30-Room Mansion Went 22 Years Without a Single Inspection and Zero Oversight
Ex-Prince Andrew lived rent-free at Royal Lodge for 22 years under a 75-year lease signed in 2003
Jan. 10 2026, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's long-term occupancy of Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate went without inspection for more than two decades, despite strict lease conditions and the use of public assets, RadarOnline.com can report.
The 30-room property, a grace-and-favor mansion managed by the Crown Estate, was occupied rent-free by Andrew for 22 years under a 75-year lease signed in 2003.
The Royal Lodge
The 30-room mansion, located on the Windsor Estate, is managed by the Crown Estate.
In exchange for paying no rent, Andrew agreed to fund an extensive refurbishment of the then-dilapidated estate and to maintain the property at his own expense.
The agreement required the interior of Royal Lodge to be repainted every seven years, the grounds to be kept in good order, and prohibited structural alterations such as new walls, gates or windows.
The lease also allowed Crown Estate officials to inspect the property at "all reasonable times," provided they gave notice.
However, documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request reveal that no Crown Estate official inspected Royal Lodge at any point during Andrew's residency, raising concerns about what critics describe as a "sweetheart deal" funded indirectly by taxpayers.
Lack of Inspections
Andrew agreed to spend $10.7million refurbishing the dilapidated property and maintaining it at his own expense.
The lack of inspections comes amid longstanding public scrutiny of Andrew's conduct and his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The inspection gap was disclosed despite claims made to Parliament last year suggesting oversight was in place.
In a November 2025 briefing to the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, the Crown Estate's chief executive said inspections were carried out on a "need-only basis," describing the approach as "common industry practice." The briefing stated this was due to Andrew's right to quiet enjoyment of the property and the fact that the landlord's reversion was "several decades away," adding that inspections were conducted only when required to ensure "effective use of public money."
Andrew's Drama
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No inspections were carried out at any point during Andrew’s 22-year residency.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said: "There is little doubt that the extraordinary absence of inspections of Royal Lodge, which under the terms of the lease could be periodically carried out, will be seen as yet another example of the sweetheart deal between the Crown Estate and Andrew.
"This revelation is all the more surprising when you consider the fact that Andrew has been involved in so many high-profile disasters in recent years, and still no one thought to inspect the condition of the property until recently."
The Crown Estate eventually inspected Royal Lodge after Andrew announced plans to vacate the residence. Officials found the property in a dilapidated state requiring significant repairs.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Andrew was stripped of his royal titles in October following the publication of leaked emails contradicting statements he made in a 2019 interview with the BBC's Newsnight. He continues to deny all allegations of sexual wrongdoing.
