Andrew set to lose Royal Lodge payout as Crown Estate puts 30-room Windsor mansion up for private rent at £400,000 a year

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor looks set to receive nothing from Royal Lodge after the Crown Estate began seeking a private tenant for the 30-room Windsor mansion, which carries annual running costs of around £400,000. No Royal Family member has indicated any interest in taking on the property, putting paid to earlier speculation that King Charles or Queen Camilla might relocate there. Andrew's lease runs to the end of October, so restoration work cannot start before then — unless he gives it up a month ahead of schedule, which would transfer the ongoing costs to the Crown Estate. His former wife Sarah Ferguson, who lived at the lodge until earlier this year, is said to be looking at a six-bedroom property costing £10,000 a month on her return to the UK.

Andrew paid £8 million in 2003 for a 75-year lease, but his Epstein links prompted the King to serve notice to surrender it.

Crown Estate accountants are reportedly quietly relieved Andrew did not hand back the lease early, as its monthly costs would then have fallen on them.

Ferguson is also reportedly weighing up a 'tell-all documentary' following her UK return after leaving amid correspondence linking her to Epstein.