Prince Andrew was allowed to occupy Royal Lodge in Windsor without paying rent and to sublet three estate cottages, keeping the rental income, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report released this week. the findings have reignited public pressure for the former duke to disclose the exact sums earned and to return any profit to the Crown Estate.

Royal Lodge rent‑free stay and cottage sublets

The NAO confirmed that Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor lived rent‑free at the Royal Lodge and was permitted to sublet three cottages to staff, retaining the rental proceeds. Sources close to the duke said the arrangement was meant only to cover maintenance and running costs, not to generate personal profit. However, the audit noted that the deals were classified as private, so precise financial figures were not released,preventing independent verification.

Baroness Margaret Hodge demands full disclosure

Former Public Accounts Committee chair Baroness Margaret Hodge called the lack of transparency “shocking ,” urging Andrew to reveal the exact amounts earned from the sublets and to return any surplus to the Crown Estate. She emphasized that the Crown Estate manages public assets and must safeguard taxpayer interests, especially as modern royalty faces heightened scrutiny.

Other non‑working royals also benefit from subsidised housing

The NAO report broadened the scope, noting that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have not paid rent for their residences for almost twenty years, with costs historically covered by Queen Elizabeth and now by King Charles. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent have similarly enjoyed a heavily subsidised Kensington Palace lease since 1978, paying only nominal utility fees until a market‑rate rent of £120,000 per year was introduced.

Long‑term lease for Princess Alexandra highlighted

Princess Alexandra, a cousin of the late queen, rents a mansion in Richmond Park through a trust‑negotiated lease that extends to 2144, when she would be 207 years old. The NAO highlighted this as another example of opaque financial arrangements that benefit senior royals.

Who still owes answers?

The audit leaves several specifics unverified: the exact profit Andrew earned from the cottage sublets, whether any of that money was ever returned to the Crown Estate, and how the market‑rate rent for the Kent couple was calculated. As the report itself states, the private nature of the agreements blocks independent verification, leaving a gap that campaigners are keen to fill.