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Britain’s former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has received £302,000 (around €347,000) in compensation after being forced to give up the lease on his longtime home amid controversy over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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The Crown Estate confirmed on Friday that Mountbatten-Windsor was entitled to compensation because he left Royal Lodge less than 25 years into his 75-year lease.
The amount was deducted from the £1.8 million (around €2.07 million) he owed for repairs to the property, leaving him with a bill of around £1.5 million (€1.73 million).
“The lease for Royal Lodge has ended and our focus now is firmly on its future use and the opportunities to generate additional financial value for the nation from its early return,” the Crown Estate said in a statement.
Police searched Royal Lodge for six days in February as part of an investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office linked to his relationship with Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing.
On Thursday, he won a legal challenge after police acknowledged that the search warrants they had obtained were “unlawful”.
King Charles III stripped his younger brother of his princely title and ordered him to leave Royal Lodge last year amid growing scrutiny of his relationship with Epstein.
Millions of pages of documents released by the US Justice Department have revealed further details about their ties.
Andrew’s continued residence at Royal Lodge had also drawn criticism because he paid only a nominal rent for the property.
He signed the 75-year lease in 2003, agreeing to spend £7.5 million (around €8.63 million) on renovations and make an initial payment of £1 million (around €1.15 million).
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