Prince Andrew is in the middle of another royal dispute, and this time it’s over where he plans to live. The former Duke of York, who stepped away from public duties after his connection to Jeffrey Epstein, has been told by King Charles to move. The 30-room mansion has been Andrew’s home for more than twenty years, but the King reportedly wants to tighten royal spending and avoid more drama tied to his brother.
The discussion over Andrew’s housing has been going on for months. Royal insiders say Charles has grown frustrated with the slow pace of progress, and pressure on Andrew to move has quietly increased behind the scenes. According to reports, he has finally agreed to leave, but not without conditions.
Prince Andrew wants two new homes in exchange for leaving his current royal residence
There’s talk that Andrew has agreed to leave, but only if certain terms are met. One of those reportedly includes finding new homes for both him and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York. Though divorced since 1996, the pair have continued to live together at Royal Lodge for years. Neither holds an official royal role anymore, and Andrew no longer uses his military titles or royal patronages.
Sources told The Sun that Andrew, may end up in Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor property once used by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Sarah could move into Adelaide Cottage, just around the corner, where Prince William and Princess Kate have been living.
“Frogmore Cottage is too small for both and Adelaide Cottage is around the corner so they will see each other whenever they want,” a source said.
People close to the negotiations say the discussions haven’t been simple. The back-and-forth has dragged on, with Andrew reluctant to walk away from the estate he’s occupied since 2003. Reportedly, he pays only a peppercorn rent after investing about £8 million, or roughly $10.6 million, into the lease and renovations years ago.
Buckingham Palace reportedly suggested giving Andrew and Sarah separate homes to ease the transition. “Talks are still ongoing,” one insider told PEOPLE.
Meanwhile, William and Kate are preparing to move about three miles away to Forest Lodge before their children return to Lambrook School in early November. Andrew wants to stay close to his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who both live nearby. Frogmore would keep him inside the Windsor Castle security zone and would not add any cost for taxpayers.
Neither Buckingham Palace nor Sarah’s office has commented publicly. Still, it looks like Andrew has no plans to step away from royal comfort unless the deal suits him perfectly.
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