Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are under immense pressure in the wake of their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s, scandal over links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Critics called for the sisters’ royal properties to be taken away, which they treat as second homes because their main residence is elsewhere.
Beatrice enjoys an apartment at St James’s Palace, and his younger sister Eugenie uses Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace.
However, despite strong protests from critics, the York sisters will continue to use the royal properties – thanks to a deal their father, Andrew, struck with his brother, King Charles.
The agreement is long-standing but is private, meaning the rent they paid for the properties is not made public.
The deal, says a source The timesis part of Andrew’s thinking to secure a share of the royal palaces for his family.
“The [rental] A deal was made with their father because he wanted them to gain a foothold in the royal palaces.’
A report previously stated that Andrew paid £1,600 a month rent for Beatrice’s apartment at St James’s Palace, with the market value for such a property said to be between £4,000 and £15,000 a month.
In the meantime, these leases will come under the scanner of the Public Accounts Committee as it weighs deals between members of the royal family and the Crown.
