(MENAFN) Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey questioned Prince Andrew’s housing arrangement on Wednesday after disclosures revealed that the prince pays a “peppercorn rent” for his residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

During Prime Minister’s Questions, Davey urged the government to support an investigation into the financial terms of Andrew’s mansion lease in Windsor.

He emphasized the need for transparency, stating, “Given the revelations about Royal Lodge, does the prime minister agree that this House needs to properly scrutinize the Crown Estate to ensure taxpayers' interests are protected?”

Davey also mentioned that the Chancellor had acknowledged that the existing setup was inappropriate. He then asked, “So, will the prime minister support a select committee inquiry so all those involved can be called for evidence, including the current occupant?”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded by affirming the importance of oversight for all Crown properties. “Well, it's important in relation to all properties, crown properties, that there is proper scrutiny, I certainly support that,” he said.

In reply, Davey expressed his hope that the committee would conduct a thorough investigation and that all relevant individuals would be summoned.

“I hope the House can look at this properly and all people can be summoned to the relevant committee,” he added.

Prince Andrew, 65, stepped back from his royal responsibilities in 2019 following revelations of his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In 2022, Andrew resolved a civil case brought by Virginia Giuffre, an American who alleged Epstein trafficked her to Andrew when she was 17.

Giuffre passed away earlier this year, and her soon-to-be-released posthumous memoir reportedly contains additional accusations involving Prince Andrew.

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