Prince Andrew bombshell update | Royal | News
Prince Andrew faces another setback as parliamentary committee approves request for more information on issue His lease for the Royal Lodge. The Duke of York’s 30-room residence in Windsor Great Park has come under scrutiny, with growing calls for him to give it up after it was revealed he had been paying only “pepper rent” for more than two decades.
The Public Accounts Committee is currently seeking additional details about this peppercorn lease arrangement and today the chairman of the committee issued a statement. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said: “The Public Accounts Committee, which I chair, will be writing to the Crown Estate Commissioners and HM Treasury in the coming days to seek further information about the Royal Lodge’s lease arrangements.”
He added: “In correspondence, our cross-party Committee will raise a number of questions with the Crown Estate and HM Treasury. This forms part of our long-standing duty, on behalf of Parliament and the British people, to examine the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of public spending and ensure taxpayers receive the best value for money.”
Sir Geoffrey also noted: “Our Committee has a further opportunity to consider the Crown Estate’s Annual Report and Accounts in 2026 and will make a decision as to whether it will undertake any work on this matter in the normal way. We will review the response we have received to our forthcoming correspondence and consider whether we would like further information at that time.”
Revelations in the posthumous memoirs of the late Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexuality, have intensified pressure on the King’s brother, who recently announced he would stop using the title Duke of York. He denies all the allegations made against him Mirror.
But news that the committee has requested additional information comes after Downing Street said MPs would not be given time in the House of Commons to discuss Andrew’s behavior because the royal family wanted Parliament to focus on “important matters”.
The House of Commons could only investigate Andrew’s relationship with pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his rent-free mansion if a formal motion was introduced, but the Government dominates most of parliamentary time.
Downing Street stated that no time would be allocated for debate in parliament, although MPs could review the situation in committees.
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said there was no ban on MPs discussing the behavior of a Royal family member, but that this should happen “on motion” rather than during regular question time sessions.
Asked whether ministers would devote time to the discussion, a No 10 spokesman said: “Prince Andrew has already confirmed he will not use his titles.
“We support the decision taken by the royal family and know that the royal family will not want to devote time to other important matters.”
In response to multiple questions about the House of Commons debate, the spokesman said: “We support the decision taken by the royal family and understand that the royal family will not want to devote time to other important matters.”
More than half of those polled believe an Act of Parliament should be passed to abolish them. More than four-fifths of Britons have a negative view of the prince.
