King Charles pays repair costs after Andrew surrenders Royal Lodge lease

King Charles III has paid the repair costs for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after the former prince surrendered the lease on his Royal Lodge mansion in Windsor Great Park. Outlets differ on the exact figure for the dilapidations, with BBC News reporting that Mountbatten-Windsor was charged £1.5 million, while the Daily Mail and The Guardian report the repair and restoration costs were £1.8 million. The Daily Mail and Newswav report that King Charles stepped in to cover the costs from his private income so taxpayers would not be charged. [1][2][3][4]

The Guardian reported that Mountbatten-Windsor received £302,000 in compensation after officially surrendering the lease. According to a Crown Estate spokesperson cited by The Guardian, Mountbatten-Windsor was entitled to this payout because he handed the lease back within the first 25 years of the agreement, returning it more than 50 years early. [1][3]

BBC News reported that Mountbatten-Windsor left the 30-room estate in February amid public backlash regarding his ties to the American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, connections Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied wrongdoing over. BBC News added that he was moved to Sandringham, where the King is funding his accommodation. He was arrested later in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. [1][2][3][6]

Mountbatten-Windsor is the younger brother of King Charles III and the third child of Queen Elizabeth II. The Grade II listed Royal Lodge property is situated 3.2 miles south of Windsor Castle. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Buckingham Palace declined to cover Mountbatten-Windsor's legal fees for a High Court challenge against Thames Valley Police regarding search warrants executed during his February arrest. [5][6][8][9]