CROWN ESTATE DETAILS MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR'S LODGE LEASE PAYOUT

The Crown Estate said on Friday that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, missed out on a $400,000 payment for surrendering his lease on Royal Lodge, a seven-bedroom property in Great Windsor Park. The body that manages the monarchy's land and property said the payout did not happen because of the property's disrepair. The lease had more than 50 years left to run. Other reporting described the outcome differently, saying Andrew received £302,000 ($399,000) in compensation, and accounts of the final outcome differ.

The Crown Estate said it calculated compensation in lieu of $9.9 million Andrew spent renovating Royal Lodge over 22 years. It then billed him $2.4 million for repairs it said were needed, already paid by the "former tenant". Separate reporting said a further $2 million was covered by King Charles III to avoid a shortfall on its accounts. Its lease terms entitled a tenant to compensation if a lease was surrendered within the first 25 years. The settlement fell within a range set by independent valuers and had been approved by Parliament's spending watchdog.

The announcement came after a High Court judge in London ruled search warrants covering Royal Lodge and a Sandringham property Andrew had relocated to were unlawful. The warrants, sought by Thames Valley Police, were executed after Andrew's arrest at Sandringham on 19 February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, after the release of Jeffrey Epstein files said to detail his ties to Epstein. Andrew denies wrongdoing, including an allegation he sexually assaulted the late Virginia Giuffre at 17; he says he never met her. The Crown Estate said it is focused on deciding future uses for Royal Lodge under its duty to preserve the estate's character.