The Grand Old Duke of York’s digs are coming straight out of your pocket
Prince Andrew could be about to receive as much as £7m in compensation – right from the British taxpayer’s pocket – if he is forced to leave his Royal Lodge.
As pressure mounts on the Duke of York, with many calling for his the list of titles to be revoked, it is thought he could be forced out of his 31-bedroom estate in Windsor, which includes 40 hectares of lawn and woodland.
However, according to the 2005 National Audit Office (NAO) report, if he does indeed vacate the property, he’ll be getting money back for the renovations that he carried out – and you’ll be paying for it.
Never forget Prince Andrew lives at the tax payer funded Royal Lodge. The Royal Lodge, Windsor Great Park, has 30 ROOMS, staff accommodation, gardens, a private chapel and 21 acres of secluded grounds. pic.twitter.com/7JIRgygYdr
— Factsand2cents Podcast (@factsand2cents) August 10, 2021
The 61-year-old reportedly paid around £7m to refurbish parts of the historic Royal Lodge back in 2003 and while the NAO report states no royal can “gain financially from any increase in the value of the property”, he is set to receive “compensation in respect of the refurbishment costs”.
As with the rest of the royal family, the money the property has generated through taxpayers would be pumped back into the Crown Estate.
The report goes on to qualify that this figure is the maximum amount he can receive and “is subject to annual reductions over the first 25 years of the lease”. The Duke forked out a cool million for a 75-year lease when he took up residence there – and back in 2005, he was criticised for using taxpayers’ money to hire helicopters.
Prince Andrew is set to pay his accuser Virginia Giuffre a hefty sum following their settlement in the long-running sexual assault case.
This isn’t the only property the royal is thought to be flogging. Prior to the settlement, Andrew was already reported to be putting his £17m Swiss chalet on the market to cover his legal costs alone.
With the amount in lifelong damages estimated to be around £12m, it seems likely that this is a sale that will go through and should he be forced out of the Royal Lodge, that additional £7m will cover a sizeable chunk of the agreement.
Related links:
- Fresh from paying his way out of sex abuse case Prince Andrew wants to become ambassador for victims
- Storm Eunice: Man in his 60s killed by falling tree while clearing away debris
- Everyone is asking why Prince Andrew is giving £12m to someone he’s ‘never met’
