Last summer, a curious story appeared in the Daily Mail. It seems that Prince William was plotting to have Prince Andrew thrown out of Royal Lodge, the 31-bedroom mansion on the Windsor Estate. There was always a conversation about how Andrew should be moved out, but this was the first time we heard that William in particular wanted Royal Lodge for himself and his family. In the months since then, we’ve heard more about William and Kate’s big “move to Windsor” plans, and how they were eyeing Fort Belvedere, or maybe Frogmore House. But what if William still wants Royal Lodge? Because there seems to be even more energy these days towards moving Andrew out. Not only that, but the Queen would basically be able to “pay” Andrew to leave his lease.

Prince Andrew could walk away with millions of pounds in compensation if he is forced out of his grace and favour home. The disgraced Duke of York, 61, has faced calls for him to quit his plush Royal Lodge home after he settled with his sex abuse accuser this week. He is trying to amass £12million to pay off Virginia Giuffre funded by loans and the sale of his Swiss chalet. But documents unearthed by The Sun reveal he is entitled to up to £7million if he leaves the 31-bed Windsor mansion.

Andrew paid just £1million for a 75-year lease in 2003 when he moved into the Queen Mother’s former home. Royal Lodge would be worth around £30million on the open market and has a swimming pool which Andrew added as part of a £7.5million refurb. It sits in 40 hectares of woodland and manicured lawns — equivalent in area to 75 football pitches.

Royal expert Margaret Holder said: “The compensation would give Andrew a potential source of funding to repay loans to the Queen and anybody else who would lend him the money. If he were to move to another smaller, more modest and more distant property, he wouldn’t be seen quite so often and would be a greater distance from Windsor Castle.”

A 2005 National Audit Office report states Andrew cannot “gain financially from any increase in the value of the property” and if he leaves, it reverts to the Crown Estate. But it adds he would receive “compensation in respect of the refurbishment costs”.

It says: “The maximum compensation of just under £7million is subject to annual reductions over the first 25 years of the lease, so that at the end of that period, there is nil compensation payable.”

Royal author Angela Levin said: “Losing Royal Lodge is a marvellous idea and if he can walk away with some money, it makes it more enticing. He should be obliged to do that. Charles has asked him to be invisible. He has an opportunity to change and live out of sight.”

[From The Sun]

Just to be clear: the Queen made an arrangement with Andrew to give him Royal Lodge at a steep discount, which she then paid for Royal Lodge’s lease herself, just like she paid for the “£7.5million refurb.” And now, if she somehow convinces Andrew to give up his lease, the Royal Estates will have to pay him £7 million for the refurbishment and the “work” he put into it? It sounds like a giant money-laundering scheme but sure. I could absolutely see it play out this way. I think everyone involved – the Queen, Charles and Andrew – would love it if they could find some way to “get” £7 million to Andrew cleanly, and get him out of that mansion. Now, will it go down that way? And will it happen soon? The thing is, I kind of wonder if William and Kate are now keen on Frogmore House, and that’s why there doesn’t seem to be the same urgency for this.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.