Prince Andrew’s situation with King Charles over Royal Lodge has finally been broken down by a property expert who believes he knows what the future holds.
For those unversed, Royal Lodge is a 30-bedroom property, which was leased by the former Duke of York for £1million back in 2003. Over £7.5m in refurbishment were also spent separately.
Due to the nature of the “cast iron” lease, any early termination or decision by the Crown Estate to remove Prince Andrew from the property will result in him getting £557,595 in compensation, all the way until 2028.
The property expert in question is the CEO of We Buy Any Home, Elliot Castle.
He spoke to Express UK during his explanation and said, “From a property law standpoint, Prince Andrew’s situation at the Royal Lodge appears to be governed by a long-term lease agreement rather than a traditional rental arrangement. If, as reported, the lease terms were set out in 2003 with a significant upfront payment and refurbishment investment, then he would retain security of tenure under those agreed conditions.”
Also, “the reference to a ‘peppercorn rent’ is symbolic - a common feature in long leases where the tenant has paid a large premium up front.”
In addition, for those unversed, in simple terms, it means, “the occupier has effectively bought long-term rights to the property, even though the freehold remains with the Crown Estate.”
So “Whether King Charles could alter or terminate that arrangement would depend entirely on the legal structure of the lease.”
In terms of what control King Charles has over this decision the source said, “Unless there’s a specific clause allowing for termination under certain conditions, it would be very difficult to remove a tenant without agreement or compensation, regardless of personal circumstances.”
Same for Sarah Ferguson Elliot said, “her residency would likely be linked to Prince Andrew’s leasehold rights rather than any separate ownership. If the lease continues, her position would generally remain unchanged.”
However, “overall, while the situation attracts public attention due to its royal connections, the underlying property principles are quite standard — a long lease provides security, but ultimate ownership and control rest with the freeholder, in this case the Crown,” he said before signing off.