Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor receives £302,000 for early Royal Lodge lease end

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been granted £302,000 in compensation after surrendering his lease on Royal Lodge more than 50 years early. The Crown Estate confirmed the former duke paid £1.8m for repair and restoration costs. He was entitled to the payout because he surrendered the lease within the first 25 years.

The estate will now market the Windsor property using two nationally recognised agents. A spokesperson outlined the next steps for the mansion. "The lease for Royal Lodge has ended and our focus now is firmly on its future use and the opportunities to generate additional financial value for the nation from its early return."

Andrew moved out of the Windsor mansion this year as the US Department of Justice released files related to Jeffrey Epstein. He relocated to Marsh Farm on the king’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk. A National Audit Office investigation in June revealed he received private income from subletting three cottages on the estate while paying a peppercorn rent for more than two decades.

On Thursday, Andrew won his legal challenge against Thames Valley police over search warrants used to raid his home. Mr Justice Hilliard ruled at the High Court in London that the warrants were unlawful because the force obtained the search powers under the wrong statutory provision.

Police believe the legal ruling will not affect the success of the investigation. The arrest followed information from the Epstein files alleging Andrew shared sensitive information with the convicted sex offender while serving as the UK’s trade envoy. Officers seized documentary material and electronic devices from his Sandringham residence and Royal Lodge on the same day as his arrest.

King Charles stripped him of his right to be a prince and of his dukedom late last year over his association with Epstein. Andrew receives an annual stipend from the king’s private funds, which remains undisclosed. A palace source told reporters that the money must not cover legal expenses. "this should not be used to fund the judicial review."