Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor handed back over £300,000 after surrendering lease on crumbling Royal Lodge

Published: 06:02 EDT, 9 October 2026 | Updated: 06:04 EDT, 9 October 2026 The former Duke of York has been given £300,000 for giving up his residence Royal Lodge.Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was entitled to the 'refund' because his lease of the 30-room mansion on the Windsor estate was terminated early.The Crown Estate, which manages the property, announced today: 'The amount of compensation the tenant is entitled to for surrendering the lease in October 2026 is circa £302,000.'Andrew was evicted from the Windsor mansion in February this year over his ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.He gave up the lease after paying well below market rate for it - a 'peppercorn rent' -for over two decades. Andrew and Sarah Ferguson lived for years together in Windsor despite being divorcedRoyal Lodge (pictured), the lavish Windsor mansion Andrew shared with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson Extracts from Prince Andrew's lease with the Crown Estate showing his 'one peppercorn' annual rentThe disgraced former prince lived in the grandiose 30-room home set in 98 pristine acres of Windsor Great Park rent-free for two decades.He paid just 'one peppercorn (if demanded) per annum' - according to his lease.The Crown Estate is an independent commercial body whose profits go to the Treasury but is obliged to get the best value for the public.It said the Royal Lodge lease has been handed back more than 50 years early, 'which means additional value can be generated much sooner than expected'.It also said Andrew had paid £1.8million for 'dilapidations'. Taking into account the £300,000 he was owed, this means the Crown Estate received £1.5million.