King Charles III Pays 1.5 Million Pounds for Royal Lodge

King Charles III used his private income to pay 1.5 million pounds for the repair and restoration of the Royal Lodge. The payment follows the official surrender of the lease by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who previously vacated the Windsor mansion for Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate.

The funds reimburse the Crown Estate for dilapidation costs totaling 1.8 million pounds, offset by 302,000 pounds in compensation owed to Andrew for refurbishments completed in 2005. The Crown Estate now intends to market the property to generate financial value for the nation and has no plans for other royal family members to occupy the residence.

These payments are separate from the annual stipend provided to Andrew and cannot be used to fund his ongoing judicial review against the Thames Valley Police. The police agency recently admitted that searches conducted at two of Andrew's properties were unlawful. Andrew's departure from the Royal Lodge followed the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein and a National Audit Office investigation into undisclosed income he earned from subletting cottages on the estate.