Prince Andrew has been locked in a quiet but persistent battle to hold on to Royal Lodge, the historic Windsor estate he's called home since 2003, for several years now. With its sweeping grounds and royal ties, the property has its charm, but maintaining Royal Lodge comes at a staggering cost. From security costs to essential upkeep, the annual price tag would be challenging for anyone without a solid stream of income to take on—especially someone who's no longer carrying out royal duties.
Robin Edwards, a property buying agent at Curetons, tells Marie Claire that keeping Royal Lodge in working order "would require a substantial financial commitment each year." And by "substantial," he means "in the in the range of £4 million to £5 million" ($5.3 to $6.7 million).
And that's not including "unexpected repairs," with Edwards noting that due to "rising costs," the amount "could be even higher." Although Prince Andrew is said to have taken up the gardening himself these days, staffing accounts for a huge part of Royal Lodge's annual upkeep, with Edwards estimating salaries for employees such as butlers, maintenance workers, a house manager and chef "easily costing between £350,000 and £500,000" (roughly $470,000 to $670,000).
Previous reports have noted that the 30-room house is in dire need of repairs, describing the property as being plagued with mold problems and water damage. "Recent photos of the exterior have shown crumbling stonework and peeling paint," Edwards says.
"Visitors to the house have also alleged that much of the internal decor hasn’t been updated since the late Queen Mother moved in to the property in the 1950s," he adds.
And Royal Lodge isn't just one home to keep up with; as Edwards points out, "the estate includes a gardener's cottage, the chapel lodge, six lodge cottages and police security accommodation, in addition to 21 acres of gardens."
Security costs are a huge part of the estate's annual upkeep, as the Duke of York's home doesn't fall within Windsor Castle's official security perimeter. Previously, Queen Elizabeth paid for her son's security, but after King Charles cut his brother off, Andrew has had to make alternative arrangements. Edwards notes that the Duke of York's security previously cost a massive £3 million ($4 million) annually.
"Part of the reason The King allegedly refused to pay for the security detail was in an effort to force Andrew out of Royal Lodge and into the smaller and now vacant Frogmore Cottage," Edwards says. "However the prince has dug his heels in and refuses to move, as such he has apparently been forced to economize and hire a cut price security firm to guard him and Royal Lodge."
