King Charles has threatened to sever ties with Prince Andrew if the disgraced duke continues to refuse to leave Royal Lodge, a friend of the King claimed yesterday.
It was the latest escalation in a long-running family feud between the brothers over the duke’s continued residence at the 30-room, £30million mansion where he has lived for 20 years.
The duke, who no longer has official duties after being forced to quit over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, lives there with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York.
But the King has long been trying to get his brother – who has no apparent source of income – to leave the Windsor mansion amid rumours the Prince of Wales is keen to take up residence in the property to reflect his role as heir to the throne.
The row reached boiling point yesterday when a friend of the King, 75, said that if Andrew, 64, refuses to leave within a reasonable time frame and downsize to Frogmore Cottage, then the King may be forced to ‘reassess the whole package’ of support he provides to his brother.
This is the full timeline of the King Charles and Prince Andrew family feud over Royal Lodge.
King Charles has threatened to sever ties with Prince Andrew if the disgraced duke continues to refuse to leave Royal Lodge as he fires the latest salvo in a long-running family feud
The brothers are arguing over the duke’s continued residence at the 30-room, £30million mansion where he has lived for 20 years, now with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York (pictured together in February)
A friend of the King, 75, said that if Andrew, 64, refuses to leave within a reasonable time frame and downsize to Frogmore Cottage, then the King may be forced to ‘reassess the whole package’ of support he provides to his brother
What is Royal Lodge?
Royal Lodge sits in the heart of Windsor Park, three miles south of Windsor Castle and is part of the Crown Estate.
The site has had homes on it since the 17th century, but the present structure dates from the 19th century. It has 30 rooms including seven bedrooms across two floors.
The Grade-II listed building has a large formal drawing room and a saloon as well as the original conservatory.
It was previously the residence of the Queen Mother from 1952 until her death in 2002.
The popular residence has been the location for dozens of family events and photographs over the royal generations.
The stunning royal property is set among trees and woodland at the heart of Windsor Part, just three miles south of Windsor Castle
Royal Lodge is currently the main residence of Prince Andrew but is in need of serious repairs
Princess Elizabeth in the grounds of the Royal Lodge with the Welsh House, Y Bwthyn Bach, presented to her by the people of Wales in the background in June 1936
Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, Princess Elizabeth and King George VI with the family dogs Ching, Carol and Crackers at the Royal Lodge in Windsor in April 1940
Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones in the grounds of Royal Lodge after they announced their engagement in 1960
2003: Andrew signs the lease for Royal Lodge
Prince Andrew signed a 75-year lease for Royal Lodge from the Crown Estate in 2003 for a £1million one-off payment.
He spent £7.5 million refurbishing the property, including the addition of an indoor swimming pool.
It is thought the Crown Estate could even end up owing Andrew money if the King were to evict him due to the money he has spent on the renovations over the years.
The property included Royal Lodge, a gardener’s cottage, the chapel lodge, six lodge cottages and accommodation for security, as well as 100 acres of land.
As part of the deal, the prince would only have to pay £250 a week in rent, but he would have to maintain the property which is understood to cost around £400,000 a year.
The least states that he has a responsibility to ‘repair, renew, uphold, clean and keep in repair and where necessary rebuild’ the home.
This includes repainting its external walls every five years with ‘two coats of paint’ from 2008 and redecorating inside every seven years from 2010.
It has no provision for any rent review over the life of the 75-year lease agreement, but it states the prince may not financially benefit from any increase in the value of the property as the freehold belongs to the Crown Estate.
Prince Andrew (pictured in 2003) signed a 75-year lease for Royal Lodge from the Crown Estate in 2003 for a £1million one-off payment
2004: Andrew moves in to Royal Lodge
Andrew first moved into the large mansion in 2004, with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson joining him in 2008.
Both of their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie held their wedding receptions at the house.
They continue to have their own bedrooms at Royal Lodge and often stay at weekends, even though both daughters have homes in London.
After the first lockdown Sarah, Duchess of York shared a series of YouTube videos from the house, showing off the drinks cabinet and dressing table with a large vanity mirror.
Both of the prince’s daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie (pictured in 2003) still have bedrooms at the mansion
Royal Lodge has been Prince Andrew’s family home for more than 20 years and Princess Eugenie (pictured) held her wedding reception there after her nuptials to Jack Brooksbank
The Royal Chapel of All Saints (pictured during Princess Beatrice’s wedding in 2020) was built on the Royal Lodge estate
November 2019: Andrew is sacked from royal duties
In November 2019 the Queen ‘sacked’ Prince Andrew from royal duties to contain the fall-out from the duke’s disastrous Newsnight interview about his years of friendship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Charles is said to have stepped in and made it clear his younger brother be stripped of all royal duties.
Since the sacking, the flagpole on the roof of Royal Lodge, which used to fly the personal Royal Standard of the Duke of York when in residence, was removed.
The fallout of the decision has meant Andrew has not received public funds for years and has lived on handouts from the Queen, personal investments, bequests from family members and his modest naval pension.
He continued to have a royal allowance of £249,000 a year.
The loss of his royal duties made Andrew’s ability to pay for the maintenance of Royal Lodge far more difficult.
March 2022: Andrew pays £12million to Virginia Giuffre
In March 2022 Andrew paid a reported £12million settlement to Virginia Giuffre, halting a civil trial in the US, after she said he sexually assaulted her when she was 17. He strongly denies the claims.
In November 2019 the Queen ‘sacked’ Prince Andrew from royal duties to contain the fall-out from the duke’s disastrous Newsnight interview (pictured with Emily Maitlis) about his years of friendship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein
The duke denies meeting Virginia (left, together in 2001) and suggested this photo could be fake in his extraordinary BBC interview in 2019 (pictured, right, Andrew and Epstein in New York after Epstein had finished his prison sentence for sex offences)
October 2023: Andrew granted ‘a stay of execution’
In October 2023 Andrew was granted ‘a stay of execution’, after he did a deal with the King to carry out the repair works on the Grade II-listed property.
The Mirror reported that Andrew had been granted it after Charles accepted his brother should be given time to prove he can pay for the mansion’s upkeep.
But a family friend told the Mail at the time: ‘It’s all a bit cloud cuckoo-land, I’m afraid. No one, not least His Majesty, believes there is any realistic, long-term chance of the Duke of York being able to keep the roof at Royal Lodge over his head.
‘It’s a massive property and estate that requires a huge amount of upkeep.’
January 2024: Financial worries over Royal Lodge mount
It was reported that Andrew, may have his royal allowance of £249,000 cut, making it difficult for the duke to fulfill his promises.
He reportedly told his friends that such a drastic change to his finances would mean he would not be able to cover the costs of Royal Lodge.
But despite his money worries, sources close to the duke said at the time: ‘Andrew is going nowhere. He has a cast iron lease.’
Sources close to the King acknowledged his brother has a legally binding lease but said he is determined not to bail him out over the mansion’s high upkeep costs.
Andrew (pictured on May 25, 2024) refuses to leave Royal Lodge after having lived there for 20 years
May 5, 2024: Pictures show the dilapidated state of Royal Lodge
In early May pictures showing the dilapidated state of Royal Lodge were published.
The photos showed the mansion’s exterior had fallen into disrepair due to the duke’s apparent lack of funds to maintain it.
Part of the terms of the lease was that Andrew would carry out repair works, but these do not appear to be happening.
Photos published in May showed the paintwork crumbling and cracks forming in the walls at Prince Andrew’s Royal Lodge home
Other parts of the building in Windsor appear to have deep stains on the white paintwork despite the Duke’s promise as part of the lease to renovate the property
May 30, 2024: Charles ‘threatens to sever all ties with Andrew’ over Royal Lodge
In late May the row escalated when a friend of the King said that 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 to his brother.
This would mean the duke would have to pay for his own private security, accommodation and lifestyle costs.
Due to the expenses involved, Andrew’s ability to afford life on his own two feet is seen as highly unlikely to be possible in the long term.
A friend of the King told The Times: ‘Everyone is mindful of his well-being, and has his best interests at heart, but there are limits of patience and tolerance.
‘As things stand, life at Royal Lodge is set to become increasingly cold and uncomfortable for the duke.’
King Charles has long been trying to get his brother Andrew to leave the Windsor mansion. Pictured together in 2012
What happens next?
King Charles hopes Andrew will downsize to live at Frogmore Cottage which would make him a significant saving.
Friends of the King said he would continue to pay for mobile security, but would not have to provide static security for the building. The security bill at Royal Lodge alone is estimated to be costing Charles more than £3million a year.
Those with knowledge of Frogmore Cottage – which used to house the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – said it is in good condition thanks to the work carried out by Harry and Meghan before their move to the US.
The renovation included structural work, rewiring and flooring, making the property a five-bedroom home upon completion.
Princess Eugenie is currently living in the comfortable home with her husband and two children. She gave birth to her second son in 2022 and the arrangement allows her to be close to her parents and ensure Frogmore remains occupied.
The possible alternative has been raised in the past, but Andrew reportedly saw this as a ‘demotion’ too far.
Frogmore Cottage (pictured) has been raised as a possible downsize location for Prince Andrew. It was previously occupied by Prince Harry and Meghan, but the Duke does not want to move