King Charles III has given more leeway to Prince Andrew than he ever did to Prince Harry, but it sounds like his patience is wearing thin when it comes to Royal Lodge. With the Duke of York’s Jeffrey Epstein scandal still brewing, there is no way back to royal life for him — which makes his 30-room residence somewhat of a problem.
The king thought he had a solution after evicting his youngest son and wife Meghan Markle from Frogmore Cottage in early 2023. The turnkey property would be the perfect place for Andrew to downsize and still enjoy the grounds and security of Windsor. However, the Duke of York seems to think that he deserves to live out a grand royal life — and that’s where he runs into problems with his older brother. “He is taking longer than desirable to recognize the reality of the situation, even though it is clearly the most sensible course of action,” a palace insider shared with The Times. “If he doesn’t agree to move to a property better suited to his needs, then the King may have to reconsider the levels of support he is willing to provide.”
Royal Lodge is also in need of major repairs both inside and outside of the property, and without a steady income, there is apparently no way Prince Andrew can maintain the home. The U.K. outlet noted that the “shelves heave with Sarah Ferguson’s collection of novelty teapots, while Andrew is known for his love of teddy bears.” Princess Beatrice’s husband is the CEO of a property and interior design company, and even he can’t convince his father-in-law to make Royal Lodge into “something much more manageable.”
King Charles may have one loophole in Prince Andrew’s 75-year lease and that has to do with the clause that states that he must “repair, renew, uphold, clean and keep in repair and where necessary rebuild” the property. Since he’s reportedly only doing the bare minimum, it might allow the king to evict him for good. If that doesn’t work, Charles could also reduce or completely yank the $3.8 million security bill he pays for Andrew — and that could be a disaster for the Duke of York.
“Unfortunately, if Andrew refuses to leave within a reasonable time frame, then the King may be forced to reassess the whole package of support he provides and the duke would be required to fund the lion’s share of his security, accommodation, and lifestyle costs all on his own — which, given the sums involved, is highly unlikely to be possible in the long term,” a second source noted. “Everyone is mindful of his well-being, and has his best interests at heart, but there are limits of patience and tolerance.”
King Charles is done playing a strategic game of real estate chess with his younger brother — it’s time to say checkmate.
