King Charles was forced to release a statement on Prince Andrew’s links to the alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, but he has allowed his brother to remain living at his home, Royal Lodge, despite the controversies.
There is, however, one reason that the royal could be outed from his Windsor residence, according to royal expert, Robert Hardman, and that’s money.
Speaking on the Palace Confidential podcast, he voiced his concerns over Andrew’s future at his beloved home.
“The Duke of York has a lease, and so long as he can pay the significant cost, we’re talking millions, for security and maintenance, then that will continue,” he explained. Continuing: “The worry is where that money is going to come from given that he doesn’t have any obvious source of income.
“So if the moment comes when he can’t foot the security, because it is outside the Windsor Estate, then the lease would have to be called in. But for now, we will wait and see.”
He also confirmed that Andrew was, in fact, offered Frogmore Cottage to reside in, but he turned it down. This residence was where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle used to live before they left the UK for a new life in the US.
Costly renovations
It’s a very large property that requires a lot of upkeep, with reportedly seven bedrooms and 30 rooms in total.
Despite having lived there since 2004, Andrew cannot do as he pleases with the Grade II-listed home, and he has a strict set of rules he must follow.
The contract, drawn up between Andrew and the Crown Estate, requires Andrew to be responsible for the refurbishment costs to restore and repair the home.
Plus, because of the property’s listed status, any renovations will likely be more costly to preserve the history of the building.
Sarah Ferguson’s cancer
Prince Andrew currently lives there with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who has given interesting insights into the unique home over the years via her YouTube videos on her Fergie and Friends channel.
The royal’s channel is on hold until further notice, after she’s taken a prolonged break during a period of ill health.
In 2023, she was diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine mammogram, undergoing a single mastectomy; six months later, she was found to have malignant melanoma.
“I think it woke me up,” she told HELLO! in a candid chat. “It gave me a swift kick in the butt and told me: ‘Right, are you going to start living now, at 64, or are you going to keep on not quite living?’ You don’t have to be what everyone wants you to be: just be yourself.
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