Prince Andrew’s friends have once again rejected suggestions that he may be forced to move out of his gigantic home, Royal Lodge, after reports this weekend said King Charles was cutting funding for his private security detail.
King Charles’ team have briefed extensively this year that they want Andrew to vacate the property, which is understood to be earmarked for Prince William and Princess Kate. Andrew’s side have let it be known he has no intention of moving out and pointed out that he has a cast-iron, 75-year lease on the property.
The argument was reupped by Charles’ side this weekend, with the Sun on Sunday reporting that Prince Andrew is under renewed pressure to quit the palatial home after Charles said he will lay off its ten-strong security team.
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King Charles has reportedly told the private guards their contract ends in the Fall. A palace insider told The Sun on Sunday: “Everyone is speculating this means the duke will have to leave the Royal Lodge because what other reason could there be to take his security away?”
A very old friend of Andrew’s told The Daily Beast: “It’s very sad that Charles, who has a house for every day of the week, can’t just let Andrew have the quiet enjoyment of his own home. Charles has always been jealous of Andrew and to many of us who know him, and the history of their relationship, the endless briefing to the media about Royal Lodge feels childish.
“Andrew knows he f***ed up, he has taken his medicine, he has done everything that has been asked of him, he has given up his military associations, his charities, his lobbying but he is not going to give up his kids’ inheritance and move into Harry and Meghan’s old yoga studio.”
Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew.
Toby Melville/Reuters“If Charles doesn’t want to pay for security, Andrew will be quite happy to rely on protection from the police, like every other citizen in the country. Where he lives has got nothing to do with it. He is entitled to expect not to be murdered in his bed.”
Another friend of Andrew’s said, “He doesn’t have anything in his life except Royal Lodge. Why take that away?”
Andrew, who once told a royal biographer he wished he had been a plumber, enjoys looking after the house, this friend said, adding: “He likes beetling around the estate and getting the gutters cleaned and the drains unblocked. I think to take that away from him could be counterproductive, because what would he actually do all day? Write his memoirs?”
One authority on Prince Andrew, the author Andrew Lownie, who is currently writing a biography of the prince, told The Daily Beast: “Andrew can quite easily afford to pay for his own security. He inherited a trust fund from the Queen Mother and he is still doing very good business in the Middle East. He made a lot of contacts as trade ambassador and he is now calling in the favors. He has plenty of rich friends and benefactors.
“Charles is trying to act tough with his brother, who he always had a rivalry with, but it doesn’t seem to me a clever fight to pick, because Andrew has a lease with the Crown Estate, he has lived there for a long time, and he has plenty of money.”
