Prince Andrew's Royal Lodge 'significantly more expensive' than Princess Kate and Prince William's home

It is located on the same estate as Adelaide Cottage, the home of the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as Frogmore Cottage, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's former home.

Robin Edwards, a property buying agent at Curetons, spoke exclusively to GB News explaining why Royal Lodge is "significantly more expensive" than Princess Kate and Prince William's home.

Edwards emphasised that "unlike Frogmore Cottage and Adelaide Cottage, Royal Lodge does not fall within the security cordon of Windsor Castle and therefore the security bill for it is significantly more expensive."

He revealed that the estate encompasses far more than just the 30-room main residence.

"As well as the 30-room main house, the estate includes a gardener's cottage, the chapel lodge, six lodge cottages and police security accommodation, in addition to 21 acres of gardens," Edwards told the People's Channel.

The property expert explained that when Prince Andrew first secured the 75-year lease from the Crown Estate in August 2003, the agreement required him to fund refurbishments personally. Initial renovation estimates in September 2002 stood at £7.5 million excluding tax, with Edwards noting these costs have likely increased substantially due to inflation.

The property's running costs are broken down into several substantial categories. Edwards detailed that "staffing alone would be a significant expense, as the estate would likely employ a house manager, housekeepers, butlers, chefs and maintenance workers, easily costing between £350,000 and £500,000 annually."

Garden maintenance requires "a dedicated team of around four to six full-time gardeners, adding another £150,000 to £250,000 to the yearly budget."

Basic maintenance and repairs could range from £200,000 to £300,000 annually, whilst utility bills "could easily exceed £200,000 annually."

The Grade II-listed property shows visible signs of deterioration. Edwards observed that "recent photos of the exterior have shown crumbling stonework and peeling paint."

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The interior appears equally neglected. "Visitors to the house have also alleged that much of the internal decor hasn't been updated since the late Queen Mother moved into the property in the 1950s," Edwards revealed.

Additional expenses include formal garden upkeep costing between £100,000 and £200,000 annually, whilst insurance could add £50,000 to £100,000 per year.

Conservation efforts to meet heritage standards require another £100,000 to £200,000 annually.

Edwards concluded that "with unexpected repairs and rising costs, potentially this figure could be even higher" than the estimated £4-5million yearly expenditure.