Wanted, one very wealthy tenant: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former home Royal Lodge coming up for rent when his lease ends in October - for £400,000-a-year

Sign up to our Palace Confidential newsletter for FREE and we'll send you an exclusive article on the moment the Royal Family started to question Meghan's motivations. Get it HERE READ MORE: The British Sussex squad: The allies set to rally round Harry and Meghan as they return to UK See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 17:27 EDT, 29 August 2026 | Updated: 18:00 EDT, 29 August 2026 The Crown Estate is looking for a wealthy individual to move into Royal Lodge when Andrew Mountbatten- Windsor's lease finally comes to an end, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.Rumours earlier this year suggested that the King or Queen Camilla could take over the Windsor property, which is vacant after the disgraced former prince moved to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.But last night, royal sources insisted that no members of the Royal Family have expressed an interest in the 30-room mansion.Instead, it will become a private residence – the caveat being that its next tenant will need to be able to afford its estimated £400,000-a-year upkeep.Another sticking point is the fact that Andrew officially still owns the lease of Royal Lodge until the end of October, which means no renovations can take place until that point – unless he agrees to offload the lease a month early.But if he does so, it would potentially leave the Crown Estate with a bill for its monthly costs.A source said: 'The Crown Estate is a business, so the bean counters there are relieved Andrew didn't give up his lease early, as the ongoing costs would have become their obligation, not Andrew's.'Mountbatten-Windsor took on the lease of Royal Lodge in 2003, paying £8million, which covered the rent for its 75-year duration. Crown Estate is seeking a wealthy individual to move into Royal Lodge when Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's lease comes to an end Pictures of the Royal Lodge appear to show paint visibly seen flaking off the property and damp setting in Andrew shared the property with his former wife, Sarah Ferguson - who is reported to be returning to Britain in the next few daysBut notice to surrender the lease was served after further revelations over Andrew's relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.Andrew shared the property with his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, reported to be returning to the UK in the next few days.Removal lorries have been seen going in and out of Royal Lodge, suggesting Andrew's clear-out of his former home – which was said to be packed to the rafters with clutter – was far from easy.Under the terms of the lease, Andrew – who moved into his new home, Marsh Farm, in April – would have been entitled to compensation if he had returned the property in line with the lease conditions.But it has been described as in a 'dilapidated' condition, and a report from the Crown Estate for MPs on the public accounts committee says it needs so many repairs that 'in all likelihood' he 'will not be owed compensation'.That could mean an expensive repair job before a new tenant can be found. And to make matters more costly for the Crown Estate, it may take time to find a tenant rich enough to afford the upkeep.A quicker option would be to let it become a conference centre, or a hotel or school. But it is believed that this has been ruled out.A source said: 'The Crown Estate's statutory duties require it to preserve the character of the estate as a royal park and forest. That means it has had to rule out turning it into a conference centre or commercial venture.'The whole operation is going to cost the Crown Estate a lot of money and time.'