Charles III Goes Full King: Prince Andrew's Stately Royal Lodge Home on the Chopping Block as Monarch 'Wants the Matter Solved'
Sept. 11 2024, Published 2:00 p.m. ET
King Charles "needs something to happen" with Prince Andrew's continued resistance to leaving the Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Regarding "the Andrew situation," a source spilled: "It is now two years into the King’s reign, and he wants the matter settled."
Upon his accession to the British throne following their mother, Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8, 2022, Charles III did not alter any of the provisions his predecessor set out for Andrew's future. The disgraced Jeffrey Epstein associate was stripped of military honors, forbidden to use his HRH style in public, and was largely banished from view after his "trainwreck" 2019 interview with journalist Emily Maitlis.
However, His new Majesty did reportedly commit himself to "doing everything he could" to boot his younger brother from the estate he signed a 75-year lease in 2003. The Crown Estate, which oversees non-private royal properties, provided provisions that stated the Duke of York would need to keep the lavish property in good standing to avoid any issues with his lease. The King also allegedly cut off Andrew's yearly allowance, which their mother had been providing the Duke "for years."
Flash-forward to 2024, and the one-time "jewel in the royal residential portfolio" is in "dire need" of renovations as the out-of-work prince "lets the roof collapse in on itself while watching TV and eating junk food," according to one royal insider.
The monarch is reportedly exploring "two avenues" in which he can resolve the issue. Apparently, His Majesty is willing to ease up on the matter if Andrew agrees to fully fund his millions of pounds per year security detail. The scandalous HRH would also lose any and all financial help from the King, which, as mentioned, may already have been done. This move is said to be a preferred method as it would push the Crown Estate to boot the Duke due to property negligence.
Secondly, the King's wished-upon method would be for Andrew to agree to move into a smaller property, which, according to sources, will "almost certainly be Frogmore Cottage," forever associated with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Frogmore has 10 rooms compared to Royal Lodge's 30.
Charles III, who is reportedly on a mission to make Britain's royal residences "green friendly," feels that his younger brother's "living it up" at the Royal Lodge is a "waste of resources."
"I feel Andrew is so entitled and is so stubborn," royal commentator Kinsey Schofield told an outlet. "Everyone is speculating the Duke will have to leave the royal lodge because what other reason could there be to take his security away, it is not a secret that the king wants him out."
She then pointedly added, "I just think the King is trying to slim down his resources as Andrew is a waste of resources right now."
The New York Post reported on the insider revelations.