King Charles III is reportedly “losing patience” with his younger brother, Prince Andrew, over his refusal to vacate the Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion located on the Windsor estate.
The Duke of York has lived in the property with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson since 2003, having secured a 75-year lease with a nominal annual rent of £260,000, a gift from their late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. As part of the agreement, Andrew is also responsible for the upkeep of the property.
Following the public fallout from his association with notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew’s position within the royal family has drastically changed, with his role as a working royal coming to an end in 2019. And now King Charles has been urging him to relocate to a smaller, more suitable residence but the duke has consistently resisted leaving the Royal Lodge.
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King Charles wants the ‘matter settled’ with Prince Andrew
A source close to the king told The Times, “It is now two years into the King’s reign, and he wants the matter settled. It can be done tidily or untidily. It can be done with grace and dignity or it can be forced upon him. It’s all rather sad.”
Charles has reportedly withdrawn the £3 million annual security funding he had been privately providing for his brother. Staff at the Royal Lodge have been informed that their contracts will not be renewed come October.
With mounting pressure from the king, the question now is how long the duke will hold out before accepting the inevitable. “He has become a prisoner of his own pride,” one insider noted
According to The Times, Andrew now faces two main options: he must either cover the substantial security costs himself or move to a smaller royal property.
An insider familiar with the situation told The Times that the king is now considering privately renting out the Royal Lodge for an estimated £1 million per year. Originally featuring 10 bedrooms, the cottage was recently renovated and now has five. It was previously home to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle before their move to California.
