Prince Andrew's Royal Lodge life 'becoming increasingly cold' as King Charles' axe looms
dailyrecord.co.ukPrince Andrew's life at the Royal Lodge is reportedly "becoming increasingly cold" as King Charles considers changes to his brother's living arrangements.The sprawling estate is believed to be costing the King £5 million annually for security and other expenses, leading him to suggest Andrew move to the more "appropriate" Frogmore Cottage - previously the residence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.However, Andrew signed a 75-year lease for the 30-bedroom mansion in 2003, which stipulates he must "repair, renew, uphold, clean and keep in repair and, where necessary, rebuild" the property - a task he is allegedly struggling to finance.The Duke stepped back from his role as a senior working royal in 2019, leaving his naval pension and a "generous" allowance from his brother as his only sources of income.
The Times reports that Andrew is "belligerent" and reluctant to downsize. Meanwhile, the King is holding firm, refusing to extend the contract of his brother's 10-strong security team, which expires next month.This leaves Andrew facing another expense.
However, if he agrees to relocate to Frogmore, it falls within the Windsor security cordon, providing a low-cost alternative that the King would be willing to cover.Questions have also been raised about whether relocating would be better for the Duke's future, as a future monarch may have different plans for Frogmore Cottage.A friend of King Charles told The Times: "It can be done tidily or untidily.
It can be done with grace and dignity or it can be forced upon him. It's all rather sad."But as things stand, life at Royal Lodge is set to become increasingly cold and uncomfortable for the duke.
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