(Adnkronos) – Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor received undeclared rental income from subletting three cottages on the Royal Lodge estate, which he leased from the Crown Estate. This was revealed by the UK’s public spending watchdog. The National Audit Office (NAO) report also revealed that the King pays for accommodation in royal palaces for the daughters of the former Prince Andrew, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, who do not carry out official duties in the royal family. This is the first report on royal residences in 20 years, showing how Mountbatten-Windsor, his family, and his staff owned 12 properties, belonging to the Crown Estate or the Royal Household.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson stated that the report is “in line with the Royal Household’s commitment to transparency”. The watchdog’s report on royal residences shows that Princess Eugenie owns a property at Kensington Palace and Princess Beatrice at St James’s Palace. They do not pay any rent for these accommodations in central London; instead, the cost is covered by the “private purse,” which is the monarch’s personal money, and paid to the Royal Household. Both palaces are maintained through public funding, via the Sovereign Grant. Norman Baker, former Home Secretary and critic of royal finances, stated that subsidizing luxury accommodation in this way is “scandalous” and that citizens are being “taken for a ride”.
A Palace source stated that there would be no additional costs for the Sovereign Grant for the rents, which funds the official functions of the monarchy. The report does not specify the amount paid for the princesses, but it is presumed to correspond to 60% of the market price. The NAO report was prompted by the scandal involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and will be followed by an inquiry by Members of Parliament from the Public Accounts Committee.
