Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor granted £302,000 compensation after Royal Lodge lease ends

Former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been granted £302,000 in compensation following the official surrender of his lease for the Royal Lodge in Windsor. The lease was returned more than 50 years early, according to a Crown Estate spokesperson.

A spokesperson for The Crown Estate said: '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.'

According to a Crown Estate spokesperson, Mountbatten-Windsor received the £302,000 because he surrendered the lease within the first 25 years. A spokesperson for the Crown Estate added that the former prince had provided £1.8m to cover costs for restoration and repairs. The Independent reports that this £1.8m dilapidations fee was informed and reviewed by independent advisers.

After deducting the compensation paid to Mountbatten-Windsor, the Crown Estate was left with a net total of £1.5m, according to The Independent. At the start of the tenancy, The Independent reports that Mountbatten-Windsor paid £1m for the lease and £7.5m for refurbishments.

The Times reports that the main house, garden, and outbuilding require restoration and significant repairs. Following public outcry regarding his rent, Mountbatten-Windsor moved to Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk this year.

Mountbatten-Windsor won a judicial review in the High Court after Thames Valley police conceded they used the wrong statutory provision to obtain search warrants, according to The Guardian.

The warrants used to raid the Royal Lodge and the Sandringham estate were ruled unlawful by Mr Justice Hilliard. Thames Valley police believe the ruling will not affect their ongoing investigation.

The investigation follows allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor shared sensitive information with Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the UK's trade envoy. Mountbatten-Windsor has strenuously denied any wrongdoing, according to The Independent.

A palace source told The Guardian that an annual stipend paid to Mountbatten-Windsor from the King's private funds should not be used for the judicial review.

King Charles stripped his brother of his title as a prince and his dukedom late last year due to his association with Epstein.

Mountbatten-Windsor moved to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk in February this year. The late queen's second son had been paying a peppercorn rent for over twenty years. The US Department of Justice released files related to Jeffrey Epstein which prompted Mountbatten-Windsor's move.

The investigation involves allegations of misconduct in public office. A private court hearing will be held in 2027 to determine if police can use material seized from Mountbatten-Windsor's premises.

The Crown Estate will market the property for its proposed future use via two nationally recognised agents once a review is complete. The exact amount of private income received from subletting cottages remains undisclosed, and the exact amount of the annual stipend paid to Mountbatten-Windsor has not been disclosed.

• The Guardian: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor granted £302,000 for end of Royal Lodge lease
• The Independent: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor compensated £300,000 after Royal Lodge lease ends