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Prince Andrew was banished from public life in 2019 (Picture: AP) Prince Andrew only pays his water bills ‘from time to time’, according to a new report. The disgraced former duke, who recently gave up his royal title amid scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, lives at the Royal Lodge. But a leaked copy of the lease for his Grade II-listed, 30-room Windsor home revealed he reportedly pays ‘one peppercorn’ for rent – so he only pays upkeep. Now it has been claimed that as part of Andrew’s 75-year-long lease, he rarely has to pay the annual £743 water bill. The Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park (Picture: Shutterstock) Activists from the anti-monarchy group Republic staged a protest at the gates to the royal lodge yesterday (Picture: Getty Images Europe) The lease, issued by the Crown Estate, says the prince must pay ‘peppercorn’ rent Crown Estate/PA Wire) Affinity Water keeps the taps running at the lodge for £375, while Thames Water supplies sewer services for £368, according to The Sun. However, documents seen by the tabloid said Andrew only has to pay these bills ‘from time to time’. Water bills for the average person in the UK, meanwhile, have increased by 168% since 2003 – and ministers say they will unlikely fall anytime soon. How Andrew pays for his lavish lifestyle and million-pound security detail, let alone his mansion, has been questioned by campaigners after King Charles cut off financial support for him last year. Charles removed Andrew’s £1million annual allowance, leaving his only declared income as a £20,000 naval pension. Revelations that Andrew pays few bills at the lodge have strengthened calls by his critics for the prince to move. A look at Royal Lodge in Windsor The Royal Lodge is a Grade II-listed building in Windsor that houses 30 rooms, including seven bedrooms. The lavish mansion is made up of a central section standing at three storeys tall, with two-storey wings. The current building structure dates back to the 19th century and was later expanded in the 1930s by the then Duke of York, also the future King George VI. The Grade II listed building has 30 rooms inside (Picture: Shutterstock) The residence was previously occupied by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1952 until she died in 2002, aged 101. Royal Lodge then became home to Prince Andrew and his family in 2004. Marijke Chartouni, a survivor of the sex offender Epstein, said Andrew should give up the estate and donate his rental income to charity. She added: ‘Or let it become a refuge for trafficking survivors.’ Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme yesterday that the ‘disgraced’ royal should pack his bags. ‘I don’t see why the taxpayer, frankly, should continue to foot the bill at all. The public are sick of him,’ he said. Lisa Smart, of the Liberal Democrats’ Cabinet Office, said the royals have ‘betrayed’ the British public by letting him stay. ‘He should show some contrition by returning every penny of rent that he’s not paid while disgracing his office,’ she added. Nearly three-quarters of people in the UK dislike Andrew, according to YouGov. Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page.
