Until Andrew leased Royal Lodge, it appears that all working royals occupied their homes as grace-and-favor dwellings. I think Andrew and Edward decided/were advised to go the long-term lease route so that, when the Queen died, Charles wouldn't be able to evict them.
And regardless of whether the properties are/were leased or occupied as grace-and-favor, I don't believe it is/was the responsibility of the tenant to make capital improvements such as roof repair or having the outside of the dwelling painted.
I've spent a heck of a lot more time researching the subject than the media appears to have spent, and it's going to take a heck of a lot more than an article in the Daily Mail written by Poppy Atkinson Gibson to change my mind.
So unless somebody has "receipts", I'm done discussing this.
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