Outrage at Beatrice and Eugenie residing rent-free in Palaces as well-known uncle types them out
The daughters of disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson have been living in plush residences and pay zero rent for the privilege, a new investigation has found.
The sisters are the daughters of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and do not pay rent(Image: Getty Images)
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are reportedly holed up in royal palaces completely rent free. The daughters of disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson have been living in plush residences and pay zero rent for the privilege, a new investigation has found.
It has been revealed that King Charles is footing the bill for the York sisters, thanks to an old agreement that he made with his mother – the late Queen.
The King foots the bill, despite the York sisters having primary residences elsewhere and not being working members of the Royal family. The findings were released after a report by the National Audit Office was made public.
The report into the residential property arrangements also found that the now disgraced former Duke of York Andrew received undisclosed income from renting out three properties on his Royal Lodge estate to staff, despite paying minimal rent himself for living at the Windsor mansion for more than three decades.
It found that King Charles is also paying the rent of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, and his wife, at Kensington Palace, despite Buckingham Palace announcing that from 2010, the couple would foot the then-£120,000 yearly rent themselves.
The move has now been slammed by opposers, saying the British public are being taken for a “complete ride”. Former Liberal Democrat minister Norman Baker said the results were “outrageous”. He said: “The Royal Family of taking the public for a complete ride.
“The whole thing is outrageous. If you look at Andrew, this is adding insult to injury. It shows an absolute total contempt for the taxpayer, not only that Andrew was able to have a peppercorn rent for a gigantic property, but then to make potentially millions on the side from subletting properties. The money should have gone to the Crown Estate, not into (his) pockets.”
He also spoke of the news of Beatrice and Eugenie not paying rent. “There’s no way that non-working members of the royal family should be subsidised by the Duchy of Lancaster,” he said. “The royal family is yet again taking the public for a complete ride.”
Sources suggested that Andrew’s subletting did not generate a profit and that the rent was set only to cover maintenance and staff living costs. No official figures have been released on this bit, rendering it impossible to determine whether any profit was made after repair and household costs were deducted from the agreed rental income.
The NAO said they did not know what rent was charged or if the properties were rented consistently after he secured the lease for Royal Lodge in 2003.
“Three cottages on the Royal Lodge estate were also sublet with income generated from subletting payable to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,” the report stated, noting the subletting of three residences ended in April 2026.
The report, published today, was compiled by the UK’s independent public spending watchdog over six months. It found that the King pays the rent of three royal properties for non-working members of the Royal Family, Beatrice, Eugenie and the Kents.
It is understood that this arrangement was agreed under the late Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, and is something the King chose to honour.
The rents are paid to the Royal Household, which supports the King and working members of the Royal Family in their official duties, from the Privy Purse – which comes from the monarch’s private Duchy of Lancaster income.
