Ex-Prince Andrew's Former Home, Royal Lodge, Is Going to Cost the Crown Estate "A Lot of Money and Time" After No Royals Want to Live There

If you've ever wanted to live on a royal estate, now's your chance. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s longtime home, Royal Lodge, will be up for rent after the former Duke of York's lease ends in October, according to the Mail on Sunday.

King Charles evicted Andrew from Royal Lodge due to his associations with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and the former Duke of York and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, vacated the building earlier this year.

Royal sources told the Mail on Sunday that no one in the Royal Family expressed interest in moving into the ex-duke's former property, which was previously the cherished home of the late Queen Mother.

"The Crown Estate is a business, so the bean counters there are relieved Andrew didn't give up his lease early, as the ongoing costs would have become their obligation, not Andrew's," a source said.

The home's new tenants would not only need to go through serious background checks in order to live in the 30-room home, located just over a mile away from Prince William and Princess Kate, but they'd also need a steady cashflow. Royal Lodge is reported to cost £400,000 a year (roughly $540,000) in upkeep.

The historic home has been crumbling for years, with property expert Robin Edwards of Curetons previously telling Marie Claire that the "substantial" repairs needed could land "in the in the range of £4 million to £5 million."

And as the Mail on Sunday reported, the "dilapidated condition" of Andrew's home "could mean an expensive repair job before a new tenant can be found."

Although options like turning Royal Lodge into a hotel or other commercial business could help solve the problem, an insider said that's not possible. "The Crown Estate's statutory duties require it to preserve the character of the estate as a royal park and forest. That means it has had to rule out turning it into a conference centre or commercial venture."

"The whole operation is going to cost the Crown Estate a lot of money and time," the source added.