King Charles foots pricey repair bill on brother Andrew's former home
USA Today • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Ex-Prince Andrew has officially surrendered the lease on Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion he lived in for over 20 years, facing a £1.5 million ($2 million) repair bill after deductions from an initial £1.8 million charge.
- King Charles is personally covering the repair costs, though it is unclear if Andrew will be required to reimburse the monarch.
- Andrew was forced to leave Royal Lodge earlier this year due to revelations about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; he had held a 75-year lease since 2003 and lived rent-free.
- The Crown Estate compensated Andrew approximately £302,000 ($400,000) for surrendering his lease more than 50 years early, with repair costs deducted from this payout.
- Andrew now lives in exile on the Sandringham Estate, remains under police investigation related to Epstein allegations, and recently won a legal challenge against the lawfulness of search warrants used during raids.
