UK MPs Pushing for Inquiry into Prince Andrew's Royal Lodge Residence Amid Public Scrutiny
MPs on the powerful public accounts committee are intensifying their efforts to launch an investigation into Prince Andrew's residence at Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park, where he has lived without paying rent for over two decades. The committee, chaired by Conservative MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, is gathering support to scrutinize the financial arrangements surrounding the prince's lease on the property.
The move comes as pressure mounts over Andrew's living arrangements following fresh allegations made by an Epstein survivor in her posthumous memoir. Virginia Giuffre claimed Prince Andrew had sex with her three times and that his team tried to "hire internet trolls" to harass her online. The prince has consistently denied any wrongdoing, but the public is demanding answers.
The Liberal Democrat party leader Ed Davey has called on Clifton-Brown to launch an inquiry, stating that "proper transparency is urgently needed" and parliament must scrutinize the crown estate to ensure taxpayers' interests are protected. Former committee chair Margaret Hodge has also publicly criticized Andrew's living arrangements, citing the £1m one-off payment he made to lease the property for 75 years.
The government is facing criticism over the prince's luxurious lifestyle, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves suggesting that people should "pay their way" when asked whether Andrew should be allowed to remain at Royal Lodge. However, opposition leaders are pushing back, arguing that public scrutiny of royal finances is essential.
MPs on the committee have reportedly become increasingly willing to examine Andrew in person about his residence and its financial arrangements. A spokesperson for Keir Starmer suggested that a parliamentary inquiry could cross-examine Andrew about Royal Lodge, with Starmer himself appearing to agree with Davey's calls for transparency.
As the National Audit Office prepares to publish its review of the crown estate, sources close to the committee say there is growing support for a thorough examination of Prince Andrew's living arrangements and the continued luxury he enjoys despite his conduct. The committee's agenda remains full until the new year, but an opportunity may arise when the National Audit Office publishes its report.
The push for an inquiry into Royal Lodge marks a significant escalation in public scrutiny of royal finances, with many demanding answers about the prince's lavish lifestyle and financial arrangements.
MPs on the powerful public accounts committee are intensifying their efforts to launch an investigation into Prince Andrew's residence at Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park, where he has lived without paying rent for over two decades. The committee, chaired by Conservative MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, is gathering support to scrutinize the financial arrangements surrounding the prince's lease on the property.
The move comes as pressure mounts over Andrew's living arrangements following fresh allegations made by an Epstein survivor in her posthumous memoir. Virginia Giuffre claimed Prince Andrew had sex with her three times and that his team tried to "hire internet trolls" to harass her online. The prince has consistently denied any wrongdoing, but the public is demanding answers.
The Liberal Democrat party leader Ed Davey has called on Clifton-Brown to launch an inquiry, stating that "proper transparency is urgently needed" and parliament must scrutinize the crown estate to ensure taxpayers' interests are protected. Former committee chair Margaret Hodge has also publicly criticized Andrew's living arrangements, citing the £1m one-off payment he made to lease the property for 75 years.
The government is facing criticism over the prince's luxurious lifestyle, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves suggesting that people should "pay their way" when asked whether Andrew should be allowed to remain at Royal Lodge. However, opposition leaders are pushing back, arguing that public scrutiny of royal finances is essential.
MPs on the committee have reportedly become increasingly willing to examine Andrew in person about his residence and its financial arrangements. A spokesperson for Keir Starmer suggested that a parliamentary inquiry could cross-examine Andrew about Royal Lodge, with Starmer himself appearing to agree with Davey's calls for transparency.
As the National Audit Office prepares to publish its review of the crown estate, sources close to the committee say there is growing support for a thorough examination of Prince Andrew's living arrangements and the continued luxury he enjoys despite his conduct. The committee's agenda remains full until the new year, but an opportunity may arise when the National Audit Office publishes its report.
The push for an inquiry into Royal Lodge marks a significant escalation in public scrutiny of royal finances, with many demanding answers about the prince's lavish lifestyle and financial arrangements.
I'm low-key hyped that MPs are pushing for an investigation into Prince Andrew's living situation at Royal Lodge 
! Did you know that Prince Andrew has been paying £390,000 a year in rent since 2015? That's like, whoa 
. And let's not forget the £1m one-off payment he made to lease the property for 75 years! 
. Meanwhile, the National Audit Office is getting ready to publish its review of the crown estate in January... that could be a major catalyst for change 
.
. Others argue that Prince Andrew's financial arrangements should be subject to parliamentary oversight 
. I'm all about transparency, so bring on the investigation! 
. Prince Andrew's situation is really awkward and it's hard to know what's going on behind closed doors. I feel for the guy but at the same time, the public has a right to know where their tax money is going 
. The fact that he made a one-off payment of £1m just doesn't seem like enough considering the value of the property 
. I hope the committee gets to the bottom of this and maybe, just maybe, we'll get some answers 
.
And what really gets my goat is that they're trying to silence everyone with all these PR spin doctors and whatnot. Newsflash: transparency is key, guys! 
I think it's time to focus on how we can make the crown estate more transparent and accountable to taxpayers. 
? Either way, I think an inquiry into Royal Lodge is long overdue 
.
. and honestly, it feels kinda unfair that prince andrew gets away w/ this luxury lifestyle without any consequences... like what's the point of being a public figure if u cant be held accountable 4 ur actions? 
. I'm all for public scrutiny of royal finances and making sure our tax dollars are being used wisely 
. The fact that some politicians are pushing back against this is just mind-boggling... what are they hiding? 
. It's about time we get some transparency on how the crown estate is being managed, especially when it comes to royals who live off taxpayers' money without contributing much back. The fact that he gets to keep Royal Lodge rent-free after 75 years is just wild 
. And yeah, Chancellor Reeves' comment about "paying your way" was a bit tone-deaf 
and then the gov is all "oh yeah let him stay because he'll pay his way" but that's just not true we need more transparency fam 
. The £1m one-off payment he made to lease the property for 75 years is a staggering example of how royal finances can be opaque and undemocratic 
.
.
. And now, with this new Epstein survivor coming forward, it's like the whole world is watching 
. That's a small fortune! The Crown Estate rakes in over £400m annually, but Prince Andrew gets to live rent-free? It's like he's got his own personal gravy train 
.
.
. Like, how does that even work? And now with all these new allegations coming out, it's like the public is finally demanding some answers 
. I mean, I get it, transparency is important and all that, but £1m one-off payment for a 75-year lease? That sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me 
Seriously though, the government needs to step up and make sure taxpayers aren't footing the bill for this lavish lifestyle. I mean, Rachel Reeves' comment was low-key telling, though... "pay your way"... 
. but let's be real, this is a whole lot more complicated than just a simple inquiry. there are people's lives involved here, and that's what we should be focusing on 
. anyway, it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out in the new year 
Like, seriously, can't Prince Andrew afford his own rent anymore? 
. But hey, maybe he should've thought of that before he got accused of some shady stuff