Etiket: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s Secret Sub-Lease of Royal Lodge Cottages Exposed!

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been caught up in a scandal, as the public spending watchdog revealed that he received an undisclosed rental income fr

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been caught up in a scandal, as the public spending watchdog revealed that he received an undisclosed rental income from sub-letting three cottages on the Royal Lodge estate, which he leases from the Crown Estate. This revelation comes from a National Audit Office (NAO) report, marking the first investigation into royal residences in 20 years. It turns out that the King also covers the rent for the accommodations of Mountbatten-Windsor’s daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, who aren’t working royals.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The report shows that Mountbatten-Windsor and his family, alongside their staff, have access to a whopping 12 properties owned by the Crown Estate or the Royal Household. A spokesperson from Buckingham Palace stated that the findings are “in line with the Royal Household’s commitment to transparency.” When Mountbatten-Windsor took on the lease for Royal Lodge, he paid £7.5 million for repairs, which meant he could skip monthly rent payments altogether.

The watchdog’s findings reveal that Princess Eugenie is living it up in Kensington Palace, while Princess Beatrice has her digs in St James’s Palace. And get this: they don’t pay rent either! Their accommodations are funded by the “privy purse,” which is essentially the King’s personal funds, while the palaces are maintained through public money from the Sovereign Grant. Norman Baker, a former Home Office minister and a known critic of royal finances, called it “outrageous to subsidise luxury accommodation” this way, arguing that the public is “being taken for a ride.” He expressed that such arrangements should no longer be sustainable as “deference is wearing thin indeed.”

According to a Palace source, the rent for these properties for non-working royals is supposed to cover any publicly funded expenses—so taxpayers shouldn’t be worried about extra costs. But the report doesn’t specify how much rent is being paid for the princesses’ properties, which should ideally be around 60% of the open market rate. While there’s no indication of illegal activities, the optics of the arrangement could be uncomfortable for the Palace, particularly when so many young people are struggling with high rents and the housing market.

The NAO report was triggered by the scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and is set to be followed by an inquiry from MPs on the public accounts committee. Even though Mountbatten-Windsor vacated Royal Lodge earlier this year, moving to Sandringham in Norfolk, he still holds the lease until October 2026. The report outlines that alongside the main Royal Lodge building, there are eight other nearby properties, three of which he’s allowed to sub-let, a practice he continued until April 2026.

Details on how much he earned from sub-letting remain undisclosed, but Palace insiders suggest he rented to staff or retired staff, with the earnings reportedly only enough to cover running costs. Regardless of the amount, the income went to Mountbatten-Windsor rather than the Crown Estate, which typically funnels its profits back to the Treasury.

Moreover, Mountbatten-Windsor’s daughters own additional properties in the Cotswolds and Portugal, adding to their royal lifestyle. The report also highlights that the Crown Estate spent nearly £400,000 on repairs before the Prince and Princess of Wales moved into their Windsor home at Forest Lodge. Meanwhile, Princess Michael of Kent, another non-working royal, resides in Kensington Palace, also funded by the privy purse.

Interestingly, eleven working royals live in the palaces without charge in exchange for their official duties. The report found that 21 other royal post-holders, including 17 military knights, enjoy similar accommodations without cost. While the NAO report doesn’t make any value judgments or conclusions, it aims to furnish MPs on the public accounts committee with the necessary facts. NAO director Lee Summerfield emphasized their role in laying out the facts of the situation.

In the Palace’s response, they expressed gratitude for the report, viewing it as a means to clarify various points regarding royal properties. They stated that property arrangements managed by the Royal Household vary based on multiple factors to ensure residences are filled appropriately, considering their location, tenants, and purpose. A spokesperson for the Crown Estate remarked that the review confirms their leases with royal family members were made following independent advice and market valuations.

Baroness Margaret Hodge, a former chairwoman of the Public Accounts Committee, expressed her shock over the NAO’s inability to determine how much money Mountbatten-Windsor made from the properties he rented out. She raised concerns about the appropriateness of taxpayer-funded subsidies for non-working royals, reminding everyone that the Crown Estate is taxpayer money, not theirs.

So, what does this mean for the future of royal accommodations? Will the scrutiny lead to changes in how these arrangements are made? Only time will tell.

Kaynak: Orijinal Haber

Buckingham Palace Received Emails on Andrew’s Confidential Dealings Six Years Ago

Buckingham Palace was handed emails six years ago that would have shown that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was sharing confidential government informati

Buckingham Palace was handed emails six years ago that would have shown that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was sharing confidential government information while serving as a trade envoy, according to court documents. An archive of 30,000 emails, which detail the former prince’s controversial financial dealings, was given to the Lord Chamberlain, the highest-ranking officer in the Royal Household, back in 2020. These emails had been sourced from a personal business contact of Prince Andrew. When asked about the fate of the emails, Buckingham Palace stated, “Since there is an ongoing police enquiry concerning Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, it is not possible to provide any comment on these matters.”

Just last week, Thames Valley Police made a renewed appeal for individuals with information to come forward following Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Yet, a dive into court documents revealed that a significant batch of emails concerning Mountbatten-Windsor’s finances had already been dispatched to Palace officials well before the current inquiries kicked off. These emails were part of a legal dispute, and a High Court judgment from April 2021 indicates that a “copy of the archive” was provided to the “Lord Chamberlain in May 2020.” In June 2022, another High Court ruling referenced an email dated July 10, 2020, confirming that the emails had been “delivered to Buckingham Palace.” This all took place after the former Duke of York had stepped down as a working royal following his infamous BBC Newsnight interview in November 2019.

The specifics of the archive, which contains emails dating back to June 2013, remain largely unknown, but hints suggest their potential relevance. Earlier this year, the Telegraph unveiled emails revealing that Mountbatten-Windsor had solicited a confidential briefing from Treasury officials in 2010, later sharing this sensitive information with a personal business contact—advising him to act “before you make your move.” This briefing pertained to issues within Iceland’s banking sector, and the recipient was Jonathan Rowland, whose father, David Rowland, had taken control of the Luxembourg branch of a failed Icelandic bank, Kaupthing, which later became Banque Havilland.

Jonathan Rowland confirmed to the BBC that these published communications regarding Icelandic banks were extracted from his account and were part of ongoing legal proceedings, indicating that they likely formed part of the archive sent to the Palace. It was during these court battles over the alleged email theft that it became known that copies had been handed over to the Palace. The emails are particularly significant as they pertain to a notably controversial period in Mountbatten-Windsor’s financial dealings with the Rowlands and Banque Havilland, which later faced regulatory sanctions both in the UK and the EU.

While the ultimate fate of the emails shared with the Palace is still unclear, the recent release of the Epstein Files in the US highlighted Mountbatten-Windsor’s connections to the Rowlands. These files illustrated Mountbatten-Windsor’s involvement in promoting their business initiatives and included personal assurances regarding David Rowland as his “trusted money man.” Notably, his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, was also identified as having received a loan from Rowland’s bank.

According to court records, the emails that reached the Palace originated from Jonathan Rowland’s account after a dispute with a business colleague. They were subsequently acquired by retail entrepreneur Kevin Stanford, a former majority owner of All Saints, who was embroiled in a separate dispute regarding investments in Kaupthing bank. Court documents indicate that Stanford offered the email archive to authorities in Monaco and Luxembourg and shared them with various individuals, including the Lord Chamberlain.

In 2020, the Lord Chamberlain role was held by Lord Peel, who the BBC contacted, but Buckingham Palace responded on his behalf. This role, as detailed on the Royal Family website, involves “overseeing the conduct and general business of the Royal Household.” The emails were handed over to the Palace during the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Under King Charles’s reign, there has been a more stringent approach towards Mountbatten-Windsor, including the revocation of his titles. Following Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, the King stated, “The law must take its course.” Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Jeffrey Epstein, claiming he did not benefit personally from his role as a trade envoy.

Stanford also shared some of the emails with a journalist, which likely provided the foundation for various newspaper articles about Andrew and his financial dealings. Author Andrew Lownie expressed concerns regarding the lack of transparency in the UK regarding information related to Mountbatten-Windsor, calling for a parliamentary inquiry into his tenure as trade envoy. Lownie highlighted that Freedom of Information requests continue to be denied, suggesting that the “cover-up continues.” Last month, he sought information about Mountbatten-Windsor’s trip to Azerbaijan in 2011, but the Foreign Office withheld information citing national security and law enforcement reasons.

Thames Valley Police was approached to confirm whether they now had access to the 30,000 emails discussed in the High Court five years ago. A spokesperson for the police stated they could not comment on specific information but noted, “We are aware of the allegations circulating in the public domain and encourage anyone with relevant information to get in touch.” A government spokesperson added, “We are fully cooperating with Thames Valley Police, and last week we published documents about the creation of the role and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment in 2001.”

Mountbatten-Windsor, Jonathan Rowland, and Kevin Stanford were approached for comments. This testimony comes about a month after America’s top prosecutor was dismissed by US President Donald Trump. A lawyer representing survivors noted that his clients lack confidence in the treatment they would receive in the UK. Meanwhile, a show about Queen Elizabeth II’s life and style reportedly sold out within weeks of opening, while Garrison Sergeant Major Andrew Stokes received praise for the pride he brings to Telford. The former prince was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Kaynak: Orijinal Haber