Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor receives £302,000 compensation for early end to Royal Lodge lease

Windsor, United Kingdom. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles, has received £302,000 in compensation after being forced to end his Royal Lodge lease early following revelations about his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Compensation offsets repair costs

The Crown Estate, which manages King Charles’ public property, said on Friday that Mountbatten-Windsor had surrendered the lease more than 50 years before it was due to expire, making him eligible for compensation.

Under the lease terms, he also paid £1.8 million towards necessary repairs to the property. The compensation reduced that bill to £1.5 million, the Crown Estate said.

Mountbatten-Windsor had already spent £7.5 million refurbishing the 30-room mansion when he moved in more than 20 years ago.

A Crown Estate spokesperson said the lease had ended and the organisation was now considering the property’s future use and opportunities to generate additional financial value for the nation through its early return.

Royal status and police investigation

Last year, Charles stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his title of prince and required him to leave his Windsor home as the royal family sought to distance itself from the Epstein scandal.

Mountbatten-Windsor was subsequently arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has denied any wrongdoing.

British police said on Thursday that warrants obtained to search properties linked to him had been issued unlawfully and must be quashed. They said the investigation following his arrest remained ongoing.

Mountbatten-Windsor, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, has consistently denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has said he regrets their friendship.

Private funding and legal challenge

Amid increased scrutiny of royal finances, a Buckingham Palace source said this week that Mountbatten-Windsor had been told not to use money provided by the king from private funds to finance his legal challenge.