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Prince Andrew scores victory over King Charles in Royal Lodge battle: report
Prince Andrew achieved a quiet victory.King Charles III has given up on trying to evict the disgraced Duke of York from his palatial Royal Lodge home, the U.K.s Express reported. According to the outlet, the monarchs younger sibling "has won the row" and will be staying put despite efforts to relocate him to a smaller property.Buckingham Palace previously told Fox News Digital that they dont answer for Andrew, 65, as hes no longer a working royal.KING CHARLES FACES MASS EXODUS OF GARDENING STAFF AT HIGHGROVE HOUSE ESTATE: REPORTBritish royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital shes not entirely convinced that Andrew is out of the woods."This is a limited pyrrhic win, as hes certainly not reclaiming any stature either in public or within his own family," she explained. "His remaining in Royal Lodge is merely due to his legal rights derived from the original binding 75-year lease agreement from 2003 with the Crown Estate rather than anything favorable to Andrews redemption."Fordwich pointed out that Royal Lodge requires "immense annual upkeep" that reportedly costs several million dollars a year. Andrew stepped back as a senior royal following his controversial friendship with late American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Working or not, Andrew will need to find a way to foot the bill."Public scrutiny of royal spending is intense," said Fordwich. "It will further destroy his relationship with both his family and the public as he is an entitled embarrassment to both.""In 2028, this issue may well be revisited," Fordwich warned. "The Crown Estate will then have new grounds to review or revoke the lease due to property maintenance disputes. In the interim, he must fund the estates costly repairs, all of its upkeep and his security."TheU.K.s Daily Mail previously reported that Andrew had been tending to the gardens of Royal Lodge to pinch pennies. The 30-room mansion is reportedly surrounded by shrubbery and woodland. Other reports claimed that the king, 76, ordered precious artifacts to be removed from Andrews home, due to maintenance and security concerns.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERUs Weekly also reported that the sprawling 19th-century property is faced with dampness issues, as well as"wear and tear"that isravaging the building.It noted that"cracks are becoming worse on the brickwork,"and there is peeling paint, along withplaster falling off.These days, the Express reported that Andrew has been "all smiles" knowing that he could officially stay."It is undoubtedly the case that King Charles would have wished him to downsize," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. "But, he has a 75-year lease and, so long as he fulfilled its provisions, he could not be evicted."Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that Andrew will still need to prove that he can find a way to manage the costly repairs that Royal Lodge requires."Andrew has to ensure that the Royal Lodge is being preserved from a current state of near collapse," Turner claimed, adding that this "will be looked at very closely."Andrew has lived at Royal Lodge since 2004. He currently resides there with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSAccording to reports, he has spent over $9 million on repairs and renovations over the years and $1 million to take it over. His annual rent is a reported $337,000. But despite Charless concerns, reports claimed that Andrew presented his brother with a lease document which confirmed that he was legally entitled to stay at Royal Lodge.The Sunday Times reported that the king did not renew the contract for Andrews private security team. The monarch had been paying for Andrews security after the prince lost his police protection in 2022. The security team is said to cost the king nearly $4 million annually. At the time, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace told Fox News Digital that the palace would not comment on "security matters."While Andrew will remain at Royal Lodge, Fordwich stressed that this doesnt mean hell return to public life."The only time hes been seen at any family functions publicly was earlier this year in Windsor at Easter Sunday services and the Garter Day lunch," she said. "He was conspicuously absent this year from [everything else].""Regarding his finances, his family continues to be concerned as to where, in desperation for new income sources, he is securing funding," Fordwich claimed. "In the past, his ill-judged business associations havent exactly been proper, reflecting poorly upon the monarchy."Charles and Andrew were said to be feuding over Royal Lodge, which is located on the grounds of Windsor Castle, since 2019. While Charles urged Andrew to downsize and move to the smaller Frogmore Cottage, Prince Harry and Meghan Markles former U.K. home, the prince successfully dug his heels in.Charlotte Griffiths, the Mail on Sundays editor-at-large,reported in November that the monarch was unexpectedly extending a generous olive branch to his brother and paying his rent. It's believed that's what their late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, would have wanted. For years, it has been said that Andrew was her favorite son.The king was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February of last year.Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine andauthor of "My Mother and I," agreed with Griffiths' scoop.WATCH: KING CHARLES SECRETLY PAYING PRINCE ANDREW'S RENT, AUTHOR CLAIMS"Theres absolutely no doubt that Charles is the one who is providing the money for Andrew, because the [late] queen wouldnt have left Andrew bereft," Seward previously explained to Fox News Digital."She wouldve made a provision for him, and maybe that provision came through his elder brother as monarch," she shared. "When the king dies or the queen dies, the money goes to the next monarch. Everything goes to the next monarch. So, she either would have made provisions for Andrew before she died, or she wouldve made provisions through Charles.""I believe that Charles is helping him," Seward continued. "I dont see who else would. Im sure [Andrews ex-wife] Fergie would help him. I know Fergie does very well with her books, but I [cant] imagine she would make enough to run Royal Lodge on her own.""I certainly think that the only person who could really be doing this is either monies from the queen or monies from the king," she said.Griffiths also claimed that someone at a "glamorous and usually ultra-discreet dinner table" told her that "Charles has paid for it all.""The king has cleared it. It's all done," the source claimed.PRINCE WILLIAM DRAWS HARD LINE ON UNCLE PRINCE ANDREWS ROYAL FUTURE: EXPERTSThe palace insider, "who's been a guest at Royal Lodge in years gone by," claimed that not only did Charles handle the finances, but none of the funds came from taxpayer money.The Sunday Times previously reported that Andrew had raised enough money to stay in Royal Lodge. According to the outlet, the prince's funds were approved by the Keeper of the Privy Purse as coming from "legitimate sources." Andrews only known steady income source is a Royal Navy pension."The Duke of York, or Prince Andrew as we like to call him, always lived in a palace," said Seward. "He lived in Buckingham Palace, and then his home was Royal Lodge, which is a very grand home and he doesnt want to leave it.""I think King Charles... said to him, Andrew, it would be so much better if you moved out of Royal Lodge and moved into Frogmore Cottage... because its been modernized inside. Its been beautifully done up. Its easy to run. Its not expensive to run. And youre within the security of the Windsor Castle compound, so its not going to cost millions in security.' But Andrew said, No, I want to stay here."Seward stressed that rigorous upkeep and plenty of funds are required to keep the royal property in tip-top shape."Its not just a little house in the middle of nowhere," said Seward. "It is huge and therefore needs a lot of upkeep. But I think that theres no way he and Charles wouldve had a row about it, because Charles isnt like that."PRINCE WILLIAM PLANS TO BANISH UNCLE ANDREW FROM ROYAL LIFE WHEN HE BECOMES KING: EXPERT"He wouldnt have said, 'Youve got to get out,'" Seward insisted. "He wouldve suggested why it would be easier to get out. And Andrew said, No, I want to stay. So, Charles said, Fine, but Im going to have to remove this very expensive security, and well need to find an alternative.'""The Crown Estate wouldve loved to get Andrew out of Royal Lodge, because they could rent the whole thing," said Seward. "It needs to be seen as making money. And as long as Andrew lives in Royal Lodge, thats preventing them from making as much as they could. Its just too bad that he isthe late queens second son.""[But] I dont think the future holds anything for Prince Andrew," Seward added.
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