Arabic version: تقرير مراقب الملكية: أندرو يؤجر أكواخًا في القصر الملكي

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor received an undisclosed rental income from sub-letting three cottages on the Royal Lodge estate that he leased from the Crown Estate, according to BBC News. This revelation comes from the National Audit Office (NAO), which conducted the first comprehensive review of royal residences in 20 years.

The report indicates that King Charles pays for the accommodation of Mountbatten-Windsor’s daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, who do not perform royal duties. Both princesses reside in central London properties—Eugenie at Kensington Palace and Beatrice at St James’s Palace—without incurring any rent, which is covered by the “privy purse,” the monarch’s personal funds.

Norman Baker, a former Home Office minister, criticized the arrangement, stating it is “outrageous to subsidise luxury accommodation” and that public sentiment is shifting against such financial support for non-working royals. The Palace responded that the rent from these properties offsets any public expenditure, ensuring no additional costs to the Sovereign Grant, which funds royal duties.

The NAO report details that Mountbatten-Windsor took on the lease for Royal Lodge, having invested £7.5 million in repairs, which exempted him from paying monthly rent. Although he vacated the property earlier this year, he retains the lease until October 2026, allowing him to sub-let the cottages until April 2026.

The report does not disclose the rental income amount but suggests it was used to cover running costs. Other royal properties are also mentioned, including residences for working royals, which are maintained at public expense. The NAO’s findings are intended to inform MPs and do not make any value judgments regarding the royal financial arrangements.