A royal commentator has claimed that the King is trying to “force” Prince Andrew out of his royal residence in Royal Lodge.
According to Showbiz Reporter, Stephanie Takyi Charles has been urging his younger brother to vacate the property and move into the smaller Frogmore Cottage that was previously given to Meghan and Harry.
Speaking to GB News Takyi said: “It’s Brothers at War, to be honest. Charles and Andrew haven’t had the closest of relationships. According to the papers today, Charles is trying to evict Andrew from the Royal Lodge, where he’s lived since 2004, and he’s trying to get him to move into Frogmore Cottage, where Harry and Meghan previously were.
“Apparently, Andrew is refusing to go. He doesn’t want to leave. He’s made it his home. He’s lived there for 20 years. But you see, the upkeep of Royal Lodge costs £400,000 a year.
“It is a very, very big place. It is 30 rooms. It’s worth £30million. The King has his eye on moving there himself, but Andrew hasn’t got the money to keep it upkeep. So it’s all been paid by the King.
“If Andrew doesn’t move, it is going to affect what the King does financially for Prince Andrew because he’s got no income. He gets an allowance from his brothers. So if Charles is asking him to move out and he doesn’t want to, he will have to take those precautions.”
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The Duke of York, 64, has the lease on Royal Lodge but Charles controls the purse strings.
A royal source claimed: “The King’s kindness is not without limit and there is a very good option for Andrew to move into Frogmore Cottage, recently vacated by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which also has the benefit of being within the Windsor Castle security cordon hence reducing the need for alternative round-the-clock security for Royal Lodge.
“He is taking longer than desirable to recognise the reality of the situation, even though it is clearly the most sensible course of action.
“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.”
Stephanie Takyi claimed that the Prince will not move
GB News
Rather than a grace and favour residence, Royal Lodge is let under a commercial lease agreement with the Crown Estate.
A friend of the duke continued to tell The Times: “The facts remain the facts. He’s got a long lease on Royal Lodge, the family has lived there for 20-odd years and still has 50-odd years to run on the lease.
“It’s in perfectly good repair because they spent the lion’s share of the sale of their previous house [Sunninghill Park] renovating it from top to bottom, thereby saving any draw on the public purse or the private finances of the Royal Family. Them’s the facts.”
Andrew will not move out, according to source
PA
Another acquaintance who has visited Royal Lodge added: “It’s really rather sad but if it’s a case of who will blink first then Andrew is going to dig in. He ain’t going anywhere.
“He has had a stay of execution with Sarah and the King’s illnesses and he will be hoping that Charles won’t want to be seen as vindictive by turfing him out.”
King Charles funds Andrew’s £3million a year security bill, as the Home Office removed his police detail once he stepped down from official duties in 2019.