Oh dear. It seems that the horror never ends for the Andrew formally known as Prince. Mountbatten-Windsor – as he must now be called – was formally stripped of his last remaining royal titles last night, as the anger over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal shows no sign of abating. And today it has got even worse for Andrew as MPs try to get in on the act too. Did someone say ‘photo opportunity’?
The public accounts committee has this afternoon announced plans to launch a wide-ranging inquiry into the Crown Estate property leases held by the Royal Family. The onetime former Duke of York only paid a ‘peppercorn rent’ for his Windsor Estate before surrendering his tenancy amid the ongoing storm surrounding his friendship with Epstein. The Crown Estate has today turned over Andrew’s unredacted lease agreement to MPs as well as details for their other properties. How far will it all go?
Sir Geoffrey Clinton-Brown, the chairman of the committee, says that ‘Having reflected on what we have received, the information provided clearly forms the beginnings of a basis for an inquiry.’ Witnesses will be called in the near future but if Andrew refuses to appear, he would likely be found in contempt of parliament. Someone get the popcorn…
To add further insult to injury, the Crown Estate also revealed that Andrew is unlikely to receive a payout for surrendering his tenancy of Royal Lodge because of the poor state he left it in. Ouch.
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