Something I’ve noticed, in the past year, about all of the King Charles vs. Prince Andrew stories, is that Buckingham Palace is actually using a credibly accused rapist and human trafficker to distract from the even bigger story of how the Windsors screwed the pooch when it came to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Think about how bumbling, incompetent and ridiculous that is. The big story is: wow, you guys really mishandled the Sussexes. Then Buckingham Palace is like “don’t forget, we also have all of this drama with the king’s rapist brother, talk about that too!” Anyway, we’ve seen and heard for months now that Charles is totally fine with Andrew and his perversions because, sources insist, Andrew is at least “loyal” to the institution, unlike Harry. This week, we learned that Charles will allow Andrew to stay at Royal Lodge rather than forcing him to move into Frogmore Cottage. They brokered some kind of deal at Balmoral in August: Andrew can stay at Royal Lodge just as long as he pays for the repairs. Now the king’s courtiers are briefing against Andrew…??
King Charles privately believes Prince Andrew has ‘no long term future’ at his Royal Lodge home, despite apparently giving him more time to stump up the money to stay there. It follows reports that the beleaguered Duke of York has been granted permission by the monarch to ‘stay indefinitely’ at his Windsor mansion after they ‘thrashed out a new deal’.
The pair have been at loggerheads over Charles’s demands that Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah, move out of the 30-room royal property – which has problems with damp and requires several million pounds-worth of repairs – into somewhere smaller, such as Harry and Meghan’s old home, Frogmore Cottage. The Mirror reported this week that Andrew, 63, had been granted a ‘stay of execution’ after Charles accepted his brother should be given time to prove he can pay for the mansion’s upkeep.
Buckingham Palace has refused to get drawn into the issue. However, multiple well-placed sources in royal circles have told the Mail that the prince isn’t being ‘realistic’ about his financial situation after being forced to step back from public duties over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and having his annual allowance – believed to be in the region of £250,000 – culled by the king.
One family friend said: ‘It’s all a bit cloud cuckoo-land, I’m afraid. No one, not least His Majesty, believes there is any realistic, long-term chance of the Duke of York being able to keep the roof at Royal Lodge over his head. It’s a massive property and estate that requires a huge amount of upkeep.’ Another added: ‘In all honesty, I would not expect to see the Duke of York of living at Royal Lodge in the long term. If he could pay the upkeep then he would be welcome to stay. But the chances of that happening are, frankly, remote. He and the duchess are… rattling around in a huge property they simply can’t afford.’
The King has no right to kick his brother out because Andrew took on the late Queen Mother’s Grade II-listed property from the Crown Estate in 2004 on a long-term lease and has funded many millions of pounds worth of renovations. If King Charles did persuade him to move, then the Crown Estate could even end up owing Andrew money.
But the sovereign is alive not only to how it looks for a jobless ex-royal to live in such palatial surroundings, but also to the lucrative income Royal Lodge could bring in as a rental property on the open market.
‘The Duke is clearly not going without a fight,’ one insider remarked. ‘This will all probably end in tears. Mostly likely his.’
As I said previously, I’d be willing to bet that Andrew has plenty of money stashed away in various foreign accounts, money which he could use to make the Royal Lodge repairs. This seems like wishful thinking from Charles, not Andrew, the idea that Andrew’s only income came from his “allowance.” This is face-saving gossip for the king, not Andrew – Charles wants to look like he’s taking the longer view, when really he just refused to force the issue with Andrew. Also: Andrew really would sue the Crown Estate if he was evicted. He has a lease and he already put money into renovating the place, money which the king would have to pay back.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
-
- 166873, Charles, Prince of Wales and Duke of York at the funeral of Countess Mountbatten of Burma at St.Paul’s church in Knightsbridge. London, United Kingdom – Tuesday June 27, 2017. UK, FRANCE, AUS, NZ, CHINA, HONG KONG, TAIWAN, SPAIN & ITALY OUT Photograph: © Stephen Lock, i-Images, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 533054254, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: i-Images, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
-
- LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 19: Prince Andrew, Duke of York follows behind The Queen’s funeral cortege borne on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy as it leaves Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in Bruton Street, Mayfair, London on 21 April 1926. She married Prince Philip in 1947 and ascended the throne of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth on 6 February 1952 after the death of her Father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022, and is succeeded by her eldest son, King Charles III.,Image: 724154624, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jeff Spicer / Avalon
-
- King Charles departs St George’s Chapel, Windsor after attending the Easter Sunday Service.,Image: 768360916, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: David Dyson / Avalon
-
- King Charles , The Queen Consort, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew attend the Easter Sunday Service in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.,Image: 768362206, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: David Dyson / Avalon
-
- King Charles , The Queen Consort attend the Easter Sunday Service in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.,Image: 768362379, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: David Dyson / Avalon
-
- Death Of HM Queen Elizabeth II: Procession Of Queen Elizabeth’s Coffin To St Giles Cathedral King Charles III, the Princess Royal and the Duke of York walk behind Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin during the procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh. Featuring: King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew Where: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom When: 12 Sep 2022 Credit: Phil Noble/PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
-
- Death Of HM Queen Elizabeth II-Service of Prayer and Reflection for the Life of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles’ Cathedral Sophie Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward the Earl of Wessex, Prince Andrew the Duke of York, King Charles III, Camilla Queen Consort, Princess Anne the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence during a Service of Prayer and Reflection for the Life of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh. Featuring: Sophie Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward, Prince Andrew, King Charles III, Camilla Queen Consort, Princess Anne Where: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom When: 12 Sep 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
-
- Royals head to Easter Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Featuring: Camilla Queen Consort, King Charles III, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, Duke of York Where: Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom When: 09 Apr 2023 Credit: Yui Mok/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- Members of the British Royal family attend the Easter Mattins Service at Windsor Castlle Featuring: Camilla, Queen Consort, King Charles III and Prince Andrew, Duke of York Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 09 Apr 2023 Credit: Cover Images
Never, ever underestimate what mummy may have given to her favorite Chuck to ensure he is taken care of when she would not be able to.
I don’t understand how some properties – the renovations and up keep are paid for by the Royal grant specifically for the upkeep of dank old
Royal estates.
And others it’s like –
Oh no you need to pay for this. But you don’t own jt! But you need to pay to fix it. BUT YOU DONT OWN IT.
aren’t landlords generally the ones who pay – begrudgingly- for any repairs and renovations needed?
I don’t understand how some properties – the renovations and up keep are paid for by the Royal grant specifically for the upkeep of dank old
Royal estates.
And others it’s like –
Oh no you need to pay for this. But you don’t own jt! But you need to pay to fix it. BUT YOU DONT OWN IT.
aren’t landlords generally the ones who pay – begrudgingly- for any repairs and renovations needed??
English real estate is very different. Land is either freehold or on a lease, meaning it is leased on a 99 year basis from one of the country’s hereditary landlords. So it is very possible to be doing improvements on a house that sits on land you do not own. It sucks in many ways, but so does the US zoning system, which allows current homeowners from blocking the younger generation from being housed.
Andrew is the worst, but Charles complaining about his family being “jobless” while born into a hereditary monarchy is ridiculous. The money needed for their lifestyle is beyond what can be earned through a job. The idea that the monarch and heir should get all the goodies reveals how abhorrent the entire situation. Dude, yes they are moochers, but it’s part of your job to support them. You have the money. It’s part of why it’s there. But, no Charles keeps adding more houses for himself and saying the rest of the family can’t afford theirs.
Keep in mind that Belvedere (Weston family), Royal Lodge (Andrew), Bagshot (Edward), Thatched House (Princess Alexandra) are official Crown Estate properties *ostensibly* available to any member of the public who has the cash.
Garden House, Frogmore Cottage, Adelaide Cottage, and whatever AK47 was living in are not legally the same thing. They are strange Windsor Castle-adjacent properties controlled by the monarch personally. A holdover from when people accepted the idea that monarchs owned everything personally. Often those properties are left empty or filled with staff for freebie rent in exchange for low salaries.
The former are public. The person buying the lease must pay to fix up the property and keep it in good shape *in exchange* for getting decades of a lease in return.
The latter are always going to be nebulous and legally unprotected. When the monarch says your time is up in that property, your time is up in that property. Whatever money you chose to put into that property to fix it up? You lose.
This is imo all fake posturing from Charles but I doubt Andrew will ever leave and Charles won’t force the issue
Charles talks out of both sides of his mouth and Andrew has never been broke. Those two things are absolute facts.
I’m sure mummy left her favorite pedo a good chunk of change. Should he use it for upkeep of the lodge? Yes. Will he? No. I think he uses the information that he has and Chuckles doesn’t want out to force Chuckles to lay off. This is just Chuckles blowing off steam cause his fat little sausage fingered hands are tied.
“But the sovereign is alive not only to how it looks for a jobless ex-royal to live in such palatial surroundings,**** but also to the lucrative income Royal Lodge could bring in as a rental property on the open market.***”
What the what is this?? Cold day in hell imo before they would put Royal lodge on the open market! Reducing the private living quarters and making parts of it open to the public would be a good way forward, I think. But, I cannot imagine it would go over well to have some rich private citizen (potentially a Russian oligarch haha) lording around in Royal Lodge
There are rich private citizens who are living in other residences at Windsor. That’s what makes kicking out H&M look stupid.
You’re right, but surely they wouldn’t do this for Royal Lodge?? I mean it’s not just another residence, at least in my mind, it’s really one of the most well known royal properties and associated with the RF.
Fort Belvedere is historically associated with the RF and is privately leased now. What makes the more recent royals more special that someone can’t live in a house they have occupied? They should be leasing more of the properties instead of maintaining several residences for a few people.
@equality- Oh I totally agree that they should, just not that they will! I don’t know, maybe it’s the news coverage of RL, but it always seemed to me to be the property that the sovereign would keep to dole out to a family member- we’ve heard Will and Kate, but also that it might be held for Charlotte later down the line. It just seems like it’s earmarked for a family member in a way other properties aren’t. I could be wrong about that, just my impression!
Didn’t Ed sub-lease some of Bagshot? Wonder if that’s an option for Andrew. Or lease it out as a venue? Fergie could serve as the wedding planner. KC didn’t make a new deal with PA, he just gave him more time to meet the terms of the lease he already had (if any of the stuff about the place having mold, etc. is true). That says some of the properties like BP should be taken from the royals, since they certainly let it get in disrepair.
I wonder if you’re referring to the same article in a business magazine that I saw some years ago, that Edward and Sophie live in a relatively small area of Bagshot; the remainder is leased for office space to various businesses, being the only way they can continue to live there.
Yeah, this is KC back to “listen to what I say” [Paedrew will leave eventually since I don’t pay him enough] instead of “watching what I do” [absolutely nothing].
Supposedly breast cancer patient Fergie had to stay precisely in that damp and dangerous Royal Lodge to recover her health and no one did anything then either. The excuses as to why PA and his ex need to stay (room for grandchildren! the queen’s wishes!) never end.
Ferg ie knows too much imo and is staying put at the lodge.
Isn’t it just brilliant that the King is willing to deny his darling boy housing and a loving, but finds blackmail perfectly acceptable reason to offer PA a home and a place in the family?! These people are both high class and have none.
In regards to market rate rent, I’ve wondered if anyone is paying for frogmore cottage now. Harry and Meghan were paying market-rent each month. So is the crown estates taking a loss now? Will this come out in the yearly financials?
These people are so annoying.
This is what happens when entitlement happens from a young age.
I just want to know if Charles reimbursed Harry and Meghan for the repairs they did on Frogmore.
My thought is that’s part of the reason Harry and Meghan didn’t fight the eviction. KFC agreed to cut them a check once they were fully moved out. We’ll never hear about it and we’ll never know for sure. But I think Megan and Harry would definitely make a bigger fuss about all of this if they weren’t paid back.
So the Crown Estate would have to compensate Paedrew.
But no one cares about Harry and Meghan paying £ 2,4 million – and if maybe they needed some sort of compensation too.
It’s interesting to see the priorities, and again shows how incompetent the Men in Grey and the gold-plated advisers are that no one notices the disparities.
Something’s very rotten in the state of Brexitannia, and it’s about time to abolish the monarchy.
The only way Andrew is moving is if Charles pays him a lot of money. Someone (the crown estates?) would have to buy out his long term lease, and he isn’t going to move from Royal Lodge to Fergie’s flat in Mayfair.
It’s easier for everyone to have Andrew happy and at Royal Lodge, and so that’s where he’s going to stay.
The only person its not easier for is William, so we will see how that plays out.
Charlie won’t force Andrew the perv out of his home. The Balmoral summit between Andrew the perv and Charlie went something along the lines of, “Andrew, we really need Royal lodge back for Billy and botox, and that is why I have called you to this summit.”
Andrew the perv replied “well Charlie here is” summit “you should read, this is the manuscript of my memoir, and it’s” summit that should cause you a great deal of worry “.
Charlie says” ha ha ha Andrew, I was only joking dear boy, you can stay there as long as you want, Billy and botox will have to make do with adelaide or frogmore, well Billy is already in frogmore, so let’s not rock the boat mmm. Bye now, love to Sarah and the girls “.Because Charlie is a coward at heart.!! And don’t we all know it.!
“The King has no right to kick his brother out because Andrew took on the late Queen Mother’s Grade II-listed property from the Crown Estate in 2004 on a long-term lease and has funded many millions of pounds worth of renovations. If King Charles did persuade him to move, then the Crown Estate could even end up owing Andrew money.”
Where is the Sussexes’ refund?
Refer to my essay under Point 1.
They are legally two different types of properties. QEII was the one who offered up Frogmore Cottage – a property that does not carry the same protections as a regular Crown Estate property.
This story has run its course….
In the comment section, even the die hard BPers
are implying “Enough”
Would anyone listen?? Would the Fail listen??