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Prince Andrew could face eviction from his home, Royal Lodge, after the collapse of a business deal that was intended to provide a financial lifeline. While the King cut off his brother financially last year, Andrew was said to have had a number of private investments, including income through a commercial partnership with Dutch company StartUpBootCamp (SBC). However, sources confirmed to The Telegraph on Tuesday that this deal is now "dead in the water". Company directors at SBC are said to have baulked over the damaging headlines surrounding Andrew over his connections with paedophile financier, Jeffrey Epstein, and the alleged Chinese spy scandal. The deal would have allowed the Prince to abide by the terms of his lease by paying for the expensive upkeep of the 30-room Windsor estate. It comes after a copy of the leasehold agreement, shared with the PA news agency by the Crown Estate, which oversees the royal family's land and property holdings, shows Andrew signed a 75-year lease on the property in 2003. It reveals he paid £1 million for the lease and that since then he has paid "one peppercorn" of rent "if demanded" per year. He was also required to pay a further £7.5 million for refurbishments completed in 2005, according to a report by the National Audit Office. The agreement also contains a clause which states the Crown Estate would have to pay Andrew around £558,000 if he gave up the lease. Under the terms of the lease, the Prince must ensure the exterior of the mansion is repainted with two coats of paint every five years and the outside stone and cement work is cleaned and repointed. He must also repaint the interior – also with two coats of paint – every seven years. Andrew is also required to "paper polish decorate" and treat the inside of the seven-bedroom home respectfully. Giving up royal titles In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace last Friday, Andrew relinquished the use of all of his titles and honours, saying: "In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. With His Majesty's agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me." Andrew stepped down from public life in 2019. He then stopped using his HRH style and was stripped of his military patronages by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Legislation would be required for Parliament to completely strip Andrew of the Duke of York title.
