LONDON, UK – In the heart of the historic Windsor Great Park, a royal drama unfolds. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and a son of Queen Elizabeth II, is reportedly defying orders to vacate the 30-room Royal Lodge, according to sources who spoke to the Sun on Sunday.
“This has been his family home for the last 20 years. Is it really sensible to kick him out? He’s concerned that now the coronation is over, the knives are out. But we’re dealing with human beings, not real estate,” a friend of the Prince told the paper.
Prince Andrew’s defiance comes in the wake of his funding being slashed by his older brother, King Charles. The subsidy cut, which amounted to £250,000 ($436,000), means that the Prince can no longer afford the property’s upkeep.
This domestic dilemma coincides with an anticipated royal arrival. “Eugenie (Andrew’s daughter) is heavily pregnant and her parents expect to have the new grandchild there this summer,” another friend shared.
The Royal Lodge, nestled within the verdant expanse of the Windsor Great Park, was purportedly meant to be handed over to Prince William and his family. In turn, Prince Andrew was to relocate to Frogmore Cottage, the former British residence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Prince Andrew, once a prominent royal figure, has seen his public standing drastically reduced following a multimillion-dollar settlement with Virginia Giuffre last year.
Giuffre accused the Prince of sexually abusing her while she was being trafficked by his friend, the billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew emphatically denied Giuffre’s accusations.
While Andrew was present at King Charles’ coronation, he is currently without any official royal duties. “Palace chiefs” had planned for a September move-out for the beleaguered prince, but are now reconsidering.
A source close to Andrew questioned the pressure exerted on the Duke of York: “If Charles wants Andrew to play ball and help the family, aren’t there better ways of going about it? Why not do the decent thing, sit down and talk?”
As the royal family continues to grapple with the aftermath of the scandal, the future of the monarchy hangs in the balance. For now, the Royal Lodge remains the center of a royal standoff, with a prince refusing to yield.
