Prince Andrew Will 'Try Every Move Possible' to Avoid Moving Out of the Royal Lodge
Prince Andrew was asked to vacate the Royal Lodge in 2023.
Oct. 18 2024, Published 6:07 p.m. ET
Prince Andrew was asked to leave the Royal Lodge in 2023, but he failed to move out of the mansion.
According to royal author Andrew Lownie, the Duke of York is fighting to hold on to the estate as long as possible.
Prince Andrew resigned from royal duties in 2020.
"He will try every move possible to avoid the action he's being pushed to take," Lownie told GB News.
"Andrew won't move into Frogmore but is still trying to wangle it for his family," he continued. "Eugenie has stayed there on and off since Harry and Meghan left for America, she helped pack up their things."
Prince Andrew was stripped of his HRH status in 2022.
OK! previously reported Andrew doesn't want to move into Prince Harry's old residence, Frogmore Cottage, but he hopes Princess Eugenie will take over the property.
"Andrew won't move into Frogmore but is still trying to wangle it for his family," a source told an outlet. "Eugenie has stayed there on and off since Harry and Meghan left for America. She helped pack up their things."
"She's [Eugenie] stayed there a number of times since the Sussexes departed and Andrew is trying to secure the property as a full-time home for his daughter," the insider revealed. "Eugenie and Jack's hearts lie in the U.K. and they need a bigger home for their family."
Princess Eugenie lived at Frogmore Cottage temporarily.
After giving birth to her first son, August, Eugenie and Jack temporarily stayed at Frogmore Cottage.
"They adore Frogmore Cottage and have stayed there often so making it into a full-time home makes sense," the insider noted. "Andrew knows Beatrice is settled so wants to make sure Eugenie finds a property that she can call a family home."
"Although he won't move out of Royal Lodge and into the cottage himself, he would still like to hold onto the property for his daughter," they shared.
As Andrew continues to advocate for Eugenie to maintain royal privileges, insiders think he is struggling to accept his new normal after being stripped of his HRH status in 2022.
“[Andrew] is taking longer than desirable to recognize the reality of the situation, even though [relocating] is clearly the most sensible course of action,” a source told an outlet.
“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,” a separate source continued.
Prince Andrew continues to live at the Royal Lodge with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
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Andrew resigned from public duties in 2020 after being accused of assault, but royal watchers continue to wonder if he can afford to maintain the Royal Lodge without a salary.
“But as things stand, life at Royal Lodge is set to become increasingly cold and uncomfortable for the duke," a source noted. "The only question now is when he will realize that he has become a prisoner of his own pride.”
Royal expert Hugo Vickers urged Andrew to come to terms with his fall from grace.
"I think we must all accept that he is not wanted for any public duties," Vickers told an outlet. "If you were running a charity you wouldn't be asking Prince Andrew to come and be your guest of honor. So nobody wants him in a public way."
"So there he is living at Royal Lodge, playing golf, seeing his children and grandchildren and riding in the park and it is expensive," Vickers continued. "The ideal situation would of course be that Andrew would volunteer to down-size and move somewhere else."
