The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have allegedly been earning as much as £130,000 annually by sub-letting converted stables on their Crown Estate property, despite paying only nominal rent for the residence itself.
According to reports in The Sun, Prince Edward and Sophie have been letting out a stable block at Bagshot Park in Surrey, with the proceeds flowing to the royal couple rather than into public coffers.
The 51-acre estate, valued at approximately £30million, features a 120-room mansion that the King's youngest brother leases under highly favourable terms.
The converted stables, situated roughly 400 metres from the main residence, were recently marketed as office accommodation at £10,834 monthly.
Edward and Sophie 'earned £130,000 by sub-letting converted stables' beside Surrey home
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Critics have condemned the arrangement as fundamentally unfair to taxpayers. Norman Baker, the former Liberal Democrat Home Affairs minister, branded the situation "outrageous" in his response to the revelations.
"Any money raised from those stables should only be going to one place – the Crown Estate," Mr Baker told the publication.
"Crown Estate profits go directly to the Treasury, so it is the taxpayer who is losing out here."
He added: "It's an outrage they pay a peppercorn rent as it is, and now Edward and Sophie are free to rake in £130,000 for a stable block as part of the deal. It is outrageous."
An aerial look at the Bagshot Park estate
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Royal commentator Margaret Holder offered a more measured assessment, describing the arrangement as "a nice little earner, particularly if you are already on a peppercorn rent."
She noted the couple were not personally at fault, as existing rules permit such additional income streams.
The East Wing Stable Block comprises a two-storey, Grade II Listed building spanning 6,667 square feet, featuring modern interior finishes and fibre connectivity.
According to the Sun, a rental brochure describes the property as offering "unrivalled" parking facilities in the locality, with space for up to 30 vehicles and convenient access to the M3 motorway.
Prince Edward and Sophie are two of the hardest-working royals | GETTYThe offices include open-plan workspace, dedicated meeting rooms, kitchen facilities, and shower amenities, all set within landscaped grounds.
Previous occupants have included pharmaceutical companies, and Prince Edward's former television production company, Ardent Productions, was once headquartered there.
A royal source claimed the property currently has no tenants and is not being marketed, with the last occupant having departed in October.
The stables are reportedly undergoing refurbishment ahead of a planned return to the lettings market this summer.
Prince Edward originally secured a 50-year lease on Bagshot Park in 1998, initially paying £5,000 annually before the rent increased to £90,000 following his £1.36million investment in renovations.
Prince Edward and Sophie perform duties on behalf of King Charles
| PAThe Crown Estate contributed an additional £3million towards refurbishment works on the property.
In 2007, the lease was extended through an agreement with Edward's company, Eclipse Nominees Ltd, under which he paid £5million upfront for a 150-year term described as "market-tested."
Following this arrangement, the duke now pays only peppercorn rent for the historic mansion, which Queen Victoria completed in 1879 for her third son.
The Public Accounts Committee launched an inquiry in December into royal property financing, demanding the Crown Estate disclose the terms under which family members occupy their residences.
The Crown Estate declined to comment when approached by GB News, noting this was a matter for the Royal Household.
Buckingham Palace has not yet responded with a statement.