Another Door Closes For Ex-Prince Andrew Inside The Royal Estate

Another royal address is slipping through Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s fingers. 

Just weeks after losing his longtime home at Royal Lodge, the disgraced former prince has now asked to surrender the lease on a second Crown Estate property, one he occupied for more than two decades at a fraction of market value.

As fresh scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein intensifies, another door inside the royal estate is quietly closing on Ex-Prince Andrew.

Ex-Prince Andrew has requested early termination of his lease on East Lodge, a Grade II listed thatched cottage in Berkshire near Ascot. 

The property, believed to have housed staff in recent years, carried an annual rent of roughly £13,000 ($17,357), far below market value in an area where similar homes can rent for as much as £7,500 ($10,000) per month.

He first took on the tenancy in 1998, initially paying £3,500 ($4,600) a year to the Crown Estate and even living there himself until 2004, when he relocated to Royal Lodge. Over time, the rent rose with inflation, reaching £12,922 ($17,250) by last August.

The Crown Estate, an independent commercial body whose profits go to the Treasury, confirmed the development after a Freedom of Information request was submitted in January. 

“Since then… we have received a request for us to consider an early termination of the lease,” the organization told the BBC.

The move comes on the heels of his eviction from Royal Lodge, marking yet another retreat from royal property.

In October 2025, it was announced that King Charles had evicted his brother from Royal Lodge, the Windsor mansion Andrew had long occupied under what critics described as “peppercorn rent.” 

The decision followed renewed attention on Andrew’s relationship with Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in 2019 while awaiting a federal sex trafficking trial in the United States.

The removal from Royal Lodge symbolized a sharp shift in the 66-year-old’s royal standing. 

Once a working member of the monarchy, he had already been stripped of his military affiliations and royal titles. The property loss further cemented his isolation within the institution.

East Lodge remained one of the few Crown Estate properties still connected to him, until now. 

Freshly released emails from the U.S. Department of Justice have reignited controversy surrounding Ex-Prince Andrew’s ties to Epstein. 

The correspondence dates back to July 2010, just after Epstein was released from house arrest following his conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The sex offender emailed Andrew and Sarah Ferguson to say he would be in Paris. As reported by the Daily Mail, Andrew replied from an account named “The Duke,” writing, “Congratulations! DS told me you were allowed out from yesterday.”

Epstein responded enthusiastically about business opportunities and wealthy associates, including a reference to Leon Black being “hungry for deals.” 

Andrew answered with equal warmth, calling the development “Really, really good news” and offering to “pay homage to your new life ahead!” He signed off as “HRH The Duke of York KG.”

The tone of the exchange has fueled criticism, especially because it contradicts Andrew’s later claims to have distanced himself from Epstein.

Roughly two weeks after those initial emails, Epstein suggested ex-Prince Andrew meet a 26-year-old Russian model, describing her as “26 Russian clever (sic) beautiful trustworthy and yes she has your email.” 

The former Duke of York responded that he would be “delighted to see her” and asked, “Will she be bringing a message from you?”

The communications occurred months before the now-infamous December 2010 photograph of Andrew and Epstein walking through Central Park surfaced publicly.

In a 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis, Andrew insisted he visited Epstein in New York to cut ties and admitted he had “let the side down.” 

However, the emails suggest contact continued beyond what he previously acknowledged.

Last month, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over claims he may have shared sensitive information with Epstein during his time as a trade envoy. 

As The Blast reported, King Charles released a rare statement shortly after the arrest, saying he had learned of the news “with the deepest concern.” 

The monarch added that authorities would conduct a “full, fair and proper process” and stressed, “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.” 

King Charles also pledged “wholehearted support and co-operation” with the investigation. 

Days later, former British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson was also arrested as part of the same inquiry. 

He was later released on bail while the investigation continues.