Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor earned undisclosed rental income by subletting three cottages on the Royal Lodge estate [1].
The revelation comes as the former prince faces continued scrutiny over his financial arrangements and his distance from public royal duties. The findings highlight a disparity between the funding of the royal family's residences and the private income generated from crown-linked properties.
A National Audit Office report published June 5, 2026, detailed the arrangement [1], [3]. The audit found that Mountbatten-Windsor received payments for the three cottages [1] while he lived at the Royal Lodge rent-free for approximately two decades [3].
This financial arrangement occurred at the Windsor estate in the United Kingdom [1], [2]. The government audit said that the rental income had not been previously disclosed [1], [5].
Additionally, the report said that King Charles pays the rent for the accommodation of Mountbatten-Windsor's daughters [1], [4]. This further complicates the financial portrait of the family's housing costs within the estate.
Mountbatten-Windsor has remained removed from public duties following controversies regarding his ties to Jeffrey Epstein [1], [5]. The audit's release has prompted renewed questions about the oversight of royal properties, and the transparency of the personal finances of those associated with the monarchy.
“Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor earned undisclosed rental income by subletting three cottages on the Royal Lodge estate.”
The audit underscores a lack of transparency in how non-working royals utilize state-linked assets for private gain. By subletting properties on an estate where he paid no rent, Mountbatten-Windsor created a private revenue stream from a public-facing asset, potentially increasing the political pressure for the monarchy to reform its financial disclosures and property management.
