The latest chapter in the saga haunting the House of Windsor could be called "The Prince and the Peppercorn." Prince Andrew, who recently relinquished his formal titles after new revelations about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, is under pressure to vacate the royal digs where he lives nearly rent-free near Windsor Castle, reports the AP. The demoted duke occupies Royal Lodge, a sprawling mansion that eclipses its modest name, for the sum of one peppercorn a year—a nominal figure that dates back centuries to when the spice was rare and fetched a heftier price.
A stream of negative headlines about Andrew and Epstein in the past two weeks led the prince to renounce his titles, including Duke of York, as the monarchy distanced itself from decades of headlines on Andrew's suspicious business deals, inappropriate behavior, and controversial friendships. But that hasn't been enough to silence critics who've called for more severe measures, including an act of Parliament to officially strip him of his dukedom, pry away his title as prince, or oust him from his luxurious home.
Andrew, 65, has occupied Royal Lodge for two decades and lives in the estate with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Andrew signed a 75-year lease in 2003 with the Crown Estate, a portfolio of properties that's nominally owned but not controlled by King Charles III. The prince invested a required $9.9 million to refurbish the home and now resides there for the annual sum of a peppercorn, a symbolic figure often used to satisfy the legal requirement of real estate transactions. With Andrew no longer a working member of the royal family, though, people have begun to ask how he can afford the upkeep with no known source of income beyond a modest pension from his 22-year Royal Navy career.
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The British press reported that Andrew is in talks about leaving Royal Lodge, though it's not clear where he would go. One option floated is Frogmore Cottage, a smaller but lavish home still fit for a prince. British news outlets have reported that Charles previously wanted to evict his brother from Royal Lodge in the past over other uncomfortable revelations. Questions about Andrew's housing have multiplied, however, after emails emerged earlier this month showing he'd remained in contact with Epstein longer than he previously admitted.
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