Reports have suggested that King Charles is ramping up the pressure on disgraced Prince Andrew to leave his Windsor home Royal Lodge for a smaller property in the latest move in the long-running saga

It appears battle lines have been drawn once again between Prince Andrew and King Charles over the Duke of York’s crumbling home, Royal Lodge.

The King has reportedly turned up the heat on his younger brother to leave his 30-room Windsor mansion in favour of the smaller Frogmore Cottage, once the UK home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The disgraced Duke of York was seen looking tense while out on a horse ride near his Windsor home earlier today. It’s the first time he’s broken cover since the King allegedly ramped up the pressure in the estate row.

The Duke of York, 64, is understood to have a long lease on the Royal Lodge. But the King is ultimately responsible for all of the royal household’s finances, and so could choose to restrict funds from him – meaning he could soon struggle to meet the extortionate annual upkeep costs of the Grade II-listed property. King Charles also currently funds Andrew’s security bill, which costs £3million a year – and it seems the long-running battle shows no signs of stopping…

Long lease

Since 2004, Andrew has lived at Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate, which he now shares with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Royal Lodge dates back to the mid-17th Century but it wasn’t until the mid-1930s that it got its first royal residents. In 1931, it was gifted to George VI and the Queen Mother – the then Duke and Duchess of York – as a weekend retreat.

Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park ( 
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)

The Queen Mother made several additions to the property and it also features a mini cottage or Wendy house called Y Bwthyn Bach, which was gifted to the late Queen – then Princess Elizabeth – in 1932. Even after the King died in 1952, it was still used as a grace and favour home by the Queen Mother up until she died there in March 2002, with the late Queen by her side.

Following the Queen Mother’s death, Royal Lodge was leased to Prince Andrew. Along with the main house, the lease included the Gardener’s Cottage, the Chapel Lodge, six Lodge Cottages, police security accommodation and a whopping 40 hectares of land. He was required to pay for any renovations himself, which reportedly were in the region of £7.5million. In 2004, he then moved into Royal Lodge with his two daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and soon after so did his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson after signing a 75-year lease.

Fall from grace

In recent years, Andrew has seen a huge fall from grace following his association with the convicted paedophile, Jeffry Epstein. In 2019, Andrew was forced to step down from public life following a car crash interview on BBC Newsnight. Then in 2022, he was left shell-shocked after being stripped by the late Queen of all his military titles and royal patronages and was not allowed to use the title of His Royal Highness in any official capacity. A year later, reports began to circulate that Charles was keen for his brother to move out and move into Frogmore Cottage, which has been recently renovated. There were claims Andrew could not meet the £400,000-a-year upkeep of the property – but he refused to budge.

Andrew during his interview on BBC Newsnight ( 
Image:
BBC)

Stay of execution

However, earlier this year, it was suggested that Andrew had been given a stay of execution at the property following his ex-wife Fergie’s cancer diagnosis. Fergie, who lives at Royal Lodge with Andrew, revealed last year she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and early this year, she also told of how she had been given a skin cancer diagnosis. And it was said the King was mindful of this. The couple also share the house with their five Norfolk Terriers and the late Queen’s two corgis Sandy and Muick.

The Royal Lodge where Prince Andrew resides is definitely in need of a lick of paint

‘Crumbling’ home

Earlier this month, pictures emerged of Royal Lodge appearing to be crumbling and desperately in need of repair. The pictures showed what seems to be worsening cracks in brickwork, as well as paint peeling from an exterior building. And newer photos from this month also capture Royal Lodge’s tired and crumbling walls. Moss is seen on the structure and the paint is peeling away. Scaffolding has been seen at the front of the property, where a skip full of rubble was also spotted.

Piling on the pressure

Now, it has been reported that the King has reignited his pressure on his younger brother over the property and has allegedly warned him of serious consequences if he continues to stay put. Andrew’s persistent refusal to take up the new property after previous requests is reported to have frustrated Charles.

Andrew with older brother King Charles ( 
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A royal source told The Times : “The King’s kindness is not without limit and there is a very good option for Andrew to move into Frogmore Cottage, recently vacated by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which also has the benefit of being within the Windsor Castle security cordon hence reducing the need for alternative round-the-clock security for Royal Lodge.” The source added that Andrew is “taking longer than desirable” to “recognise the reality of the situation”.

But Andrew so far shows no sign of budging. One acquaintance of the Duke of York told the newspaper that he is likely to “dig in” if the stand-off continues and that he had already enjoyed a “stay of execution” in light of Sarah Ferguson and the King’s own recent illnesses.

William and Kate benefit?

According to The Times, those in royal circles believe Fergie could help her ex-husband “see sense” and give up his royal home for a smaller property. So what would happen to the estate if he were to leave?

The lease could be sold back to the Crown Estate, who could then rent it out to a private tenant. However, there has been speculation it could become the new home of the Prince and Princess of Wales. William, Kate and their three children currently live in Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, which is smaller than Royal Lodge. However, this rumour has been played down by respected royal historian Robert Hardman.

The author of Charles III: The Inside Story, spoke to an official who said the move from Adelaide Cottage to Royal Lodge “might happen but it’s not planned.” According to his book, William and Kate are said to be “extremely happy” in their four-bed cottage. “They are there as a family with total privacy and without lots of staff,” one official told the author.