- Prince Andrew is currently occupying a giant mansion called The Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.
- There's a TON of history and controversy when it comes to this house, which Andrew refuses to leave.
- Kate Middleton and Prince William wanted to move into the home, and Andrew stopped them.
The royal family has a vast collection of property all over the UK, but by far the most controversial is The Royal Lodge—aka the mansion that Prince Andrew lives in and absolutely refuses to leave, despite attempts to evict him. There's been a lot of drama surrounding this property over the years, but things have reached a boiling point amid Andrew's shocking lease agreement being exposed. Here's what you need to know if you're new here.
The Home Is Worth an Absolute Fortune
The Royal Lodge is a 19th century Grade II listed house in Windsor Great Park reportedly worth around $37 million, and Prince Andrew is rattling around there all by himself (okay, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson also lives there)—not exactly a great look. Just FYI, the home has 30 rooms including seven bedrooms, not to mention its own chapel and multiple cottages.
The Queen Mother Used to Live There
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (aka Queen Elizabeth II's mom) lived in the Royal Lodge from 1952 to her death in 2002. Prince Andrew took over the lease in 2003 and moved into the home with his family in 2004. Prior to the Queen Mother, the former Duke of York (aka King George VI) lived there.
^ One of the "cottages" on the property.
Andrew's Lease Has Him Paying "One Peppercorn" in Rent
Like, literally...his rent is a peppercorn. According to The Times, Andrew's lease dictates that he only pays "one peppercorn (if demanded)" in rent per year—which has been the case since since 2003. Meanwhile, he hasn't paid any monetary rent at all in at least two years.
^ Prince Andrew in the Royal Lodge's private chapel.
Andrew's 75-Year Lease Lasts Until 2078
And if King Charles and Prince William do succeed in kicking him out, the Crown Estate would have to pay him £558,000, plus a "compensatory sum" of £185,865 a year until 2028, as per the terms of his lease. It's said that part of the reason he's reluctant to leave is because of the millions he's poured into renovations.
^ Protests at the entrance to the Royal Lodge.
William and Kate Wanted the Royal Lodge for Themselves
Back in 2022, there were reports that Prince William and Kate Middleton wanted to move into the Royal Lodge, but—per a Page Six source—"It seems unlikely that [Andrew] will want to relinquish [it]."
Meanwhile, The Sun reported that Wills and Kate "checked out" the Royal Lodge as an option to move into but had to reject it at the time because Andrew would "not budge."
King Charles Tried to Evict Prince Andrew...and Wanted Queen Camilla to Move In
The Daily Mail reported that King Charles had evicted Andrew, but that he refused to leave the £30 million estate. Per a family friend, Andrew was "refusing to budge" and "refusing to see anybody." An insider even said "he’s worried that the royals might even turn off the utilities to get him out of there."
This whole drama was referred to as the "Siege of Royal Lodge," and ultimately King Charles lost. According to the Daily Beast in 2024, Charles threw in the towel and accepted that his brother wouldn't leave—despite wanting the Royal Lodge as a "dowager house" for Queen Camilla.
Per a source in The Times, "If Andrew can pay for his own upkeep with legitimate means, then it is not an issue. But the King’s patience has run out when it comes to funding his brother’s lifestyle in a way that does not fit his status."
A source also said Andrew has "a cast iron lease on the property, so God knows why Charles chose to pick this battle. It’s hard to imagine anyone would have any interest in where Andrew is living if Charles’ aides had not spent the past year banging on about it. He was never going to just walk away from the property; the lease is a valuable asset he intends to leave to his children, and maybe William will be glad of having Eugenie or Beatrice there in years to come."
