Prince Andrew bombshell update as MPs investigate crumbling Royal Lodge funds

Prince Andrew is facing another blow after a parliamentary committee confirmed it is demanding more information about his lease arrangement for Royal Lodge. Calls have intensified for Andrew to give up his 30-room home in Windsor Great Park after it emerged he has only paid a “peppercorn rent” for more than 20 years. The Public Accounts Committee is seeking further information about the peppercorn rent lease arrangement - and today the chair of the committee has released a statement. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: “The Public Accounts Committee which I Chair will be writing in the coming days to the Crown Estate Commissioners and HM Treasury, seeking further information on the lease arrangements for Royal Lodge. “In the correspondence, our cross-party Committee will be raising a number of questions with the Crown Estate and HM Treasury. This forms part of our long-standing remit, on behalf of Parliament and the British public, to examine the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of public spending, and ensure the taxpayer is receiving best value for money. “Our Committee has a further opportunity in 2026 to consider the Annual Report and Accounts for the Crown Estate, and will make a decision on whether to undertake any work on this in the normal way. We will review the response we receive to our forthcoming correspondence, and will consider at that time whether to seek further information.” Revelations in the posthumous memoir of Andrew’s sex accuser Virginia Giuffre have placed increasing pressure on the King’s brother, who announced last week he would stop using his Duke of York title. He denies all allegations against him. However, news about the committee asking for more information comes after Downing Street said it MPs will not be given time in the House of Commons to discuss Andrew’s conduct because the royal family wants Parliament to focus on “important issues”. The Commons could only discuss Andrew’s friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his rent-free mansion if there was a formal motion, but the Government controls the bulk of parliamentary time. Downing Street said it would not allocate time for a debate in the chamber although MPs could still scrutinise the situation in committees. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said there was no ban on MPs discussing the conduct of a member of the royal family but it would have to be on a “substantive motion” rather than during regular question time sessions. Asked whether ministers would allocate time for a debate, a No 10 spokesman said: “Prince Andrew has already confirmed he will not use his titles. “We support the decision made by the royal family and we know the royal family would not want to take time from other important issues.” In response to repeated questions about a Commons debate, the spokesman said: “We know the royal family would not want to take time from other important issues.” More than half of those asked believe there should be an Act of Parliament to remove them. More than four fifths of Britons have a negative view of the prince.