A National Audit Office report highlights that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was subletting three royal cottages for about £180,000 a year while paying minimal rent, prompting scrutiny of royal accommodation arrangements.

Buckingham Palace says the NAO report aligns with transparency efforts and helps contextualize how royal properties are arranged.

Palace officials welcomed the NAO report as part of the royal household’s commitment to openness about finances.

The push is aimed at addressing public scrutiny of royal finances and ensuring value for money across the royal estate.

Prince William is reported to plan stricter rules on royal property when he becomes king, including a tighter approach to costs and a review of the monarchy’s structure.

Proposed changes include banning rent-free living for non-working royals and preventing subletting of royal properties.

Unnamed sources quoted The Sunday Times describing William as pursuing a leaner, more hands-on restructuring of the monarchy’s finances.

The NAO notes that King Charles is covering rents for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie at St James’s Palace and Kensington Palace, with Beatrice and Eugenie paying discounted rents of 68% and 64% of open-market value, respectively.

King Charles is expected to carry out annual reviews of royal accommodation, with rental contributions from some relatives already moving closer to market rates.

Beatrice and Eugenie have reportedly paid rents well below market value, with their arrangements under review by the royal household in light of the NAO findings.

The NAO report also notes how the Royal Lodge and other residences have been treated, with Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands receiving reduced rents funded by the King’s Privy Purse and the Duchy of Lancaster.

The Crown Estate says leases with royal family members were agreed with independent advice and market valuations, and it intends to discuss the NAO findings with the Public Accounts Committee.