Prince Andrew could be hauled before Parliament to answer questions about his living arrangements after Sir Keir Starmer today backed the idea.
The Prime Minister today said he would support an inquiry by MPs into how and why the former Duke of York has lived rent-free at Royal Lodge in Windsor Park for more than two decades.
It came after Sir Ed Davey said that an inquiry by a select committee should be able to grill witnesses ‘including the current occupant’ – a reference to King Charles III’s beleaguered younger brother.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons today the Liberal Democrat leader said: ‘Given the revelations about Royal Lodge, does the Prime Minister agree that this house needs to properly scrutinise the Crown Estate to ensure taxpayers’ interest are protected?
‘The Chancellor (Rachel Reeves) herself has said the current arrangements are wrong, so will the Prime Minister support a select committee inquiry, so all those involved can be called for evidence, including the current occupant?’
Sir Keir replied: ‘It’s important in relation to all Crown properties that there is proper scrutiny and I would certainly support that.’
The prince’s links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have dominated the headlines for days, with fresh focus on his sex accuser Virginia Giuffre’s allegations, which Andrew denies, after the publication of her posthumous memoirs.
Last night senior Tory Robert Jenrick said it was ‘about time Prince Andrew took himself off to live in private’ as ‘the public are sick of him’ after it emerged Andrew has paid a ‘peppercorn rent’ on his 30-room home for more than 20 years.
Speaking after PMQs, Sir Ed said: ‘The public are quite understandably demanding answers, so it’s right that Parliament gets to the bottom of arrangements regarding the Royal Lodge.
‘Prince Andrew should come before a Parliamentary committee to give his evidence and show contrition. Transparency will be central to rebuilding trust in our institutions.’
Andrew has lived for two decades rent-free at Royal Lodge, paying just ‘one peppercorn (if demanded) per annum’ – according to the extraordinary terms of his lease made public by the Crown Estate, which hands its profits to the Treasury for the benefit of the nation’s finances.
Parliamentary committees could now look into the Crown Estate’s handling of the grandiose home set in 98 pristine acres of Windsor Great Park.
Last night Dame Meg Hillier, chairman of the Treasury committee, said: ‘Where money flows, particularly where taxpayers’ money is involved or taxpayers’ interests are involved, Parliament has a responsibility to have a light shine upon that, and we need to have answers.’
At one point yesterday, Whitehall sources believed the spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, could launch a probe because it was in ‘the public interest’ to examine whether Royal Lodge was ‘value for money’ to taxpayers.
But one source admitted they had concluded Andrew’s lease on the property was watertight, adding: ‘There are no plans to look into this now.
‘That might change at some point in the future. There is a lot of political pressure.’
A law which would allow the King to formally strip Prince Andrew of his dukedom is being introduced in the Commons on Wednesday.
The prince announced last week he would stop using his Duke of York title to avoid distracting from the work of the royal family, but an Act of Parliament would be required to formally remove the dukedom.
York Central MP Rachael Maskell has set out legislation which would grant Charles the power to remove titles.
The proposed new law would give the monarch the power to remove titles on his own initiative, following a recommendation of a joint committee of Parliament, or at the request of the person who holds the title.
