King Charles is privately funding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's security and lifestyle, and now we want to know: should he stop? Take our poll and have your say.
Andrew's new life at Marsh Farm
Andrew has been living a reclusive life at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate since he relocated from Windsor, after being kicked out of Royal Lodge. In October last year, the former prince began his life as a commoner when he was stripped of all his titles and honours, and forced to hand back the lease on the Windsor mansion.
King Charles made the shocking decision to remove his brother's titles as the Epstein scandal continued with allegations being levelled at Andrew, who vehemently denies any wrongdoing. Since then, Andrew has lost all privileges associated with the Crown, including the ongoing financial support to fund his extravagant lifestyle.
Private funds from the King
When the former Duke of York relocated to Sandringham, it was announced by the Palace that Andrew would be receiving funds from the King's private purse, which would cover his private security detail, staff working at Marsh Farm, and a range of other expenses. This allowance for Andrew is not from the Sovereign Grant, which is the £138m in public funding for the monarchy. It is drawn from the King's private money, which includes his income from the Duchy of Lancaster, private estates and his own investments and inheritances.
The financial agreement between Andrew and his older brother has been back in the headlines in recent days, after the disgraced prince launched legal action against Thames Valley Police and the Central Criminal Court over the legality of search warrants issued at the time of his arrest. In February, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, after allegations emerged he handed confidential information to Jeffrey Epstein during his time as trade envoy to the UK in the early 2000s.
Legal battle and refurbishment costs
After he was released from police custody, search warrants were issued to search both Marsh Farm and Forest Lodge. Andrew has since questioned the legality of the search warrants with his court case, with a High Court judge saying on Thursday that the warrants were in fact unlawful. When the case was announced on Monday, a statement from Buckingham Palace soon followed which stated that the King had warned Andrew not to use the King's private money to fund his legal bills.
Despite this restriction from Charles, it was revealed earlier today that the King has fronted Andrew's cost of £1.5 million to the Crown Estate for a series of refurbishments on Royal Lodge. After handing back the keys to the Windsor mansion, Andrew was slapped with the hefty bill after much of the 30-room mansion was left in a state of disrepair. It has now emerged that the King has privately made funds available for Andrew's repair and restoration costs on the Royal Lodge. The Mirror understands Charles made the money available to his brother through his private income to ensure the Crown Estate was reimbursed.
Calls to stop the payments
Speaking on the Mirror's Pod Save the King YouTube show, royal editor Russell Myers said it is time for Charles to stop giving money to Andrew, as the King would 'never know' where he is spending the money. Russell said: "Nobody knows how Andrew is paying for this, so perhaps if [the King] turned off the financial tap then he wouldn't be able to do it." The Mirror's deputy royal editor Jennifer Newton countered: "It's been made clear to Andrew that he can't use the King's money for the legal fees, but could he if he wanted to?"
Russell added: "How is the King going to know? Nobody knows anything about his finances; they're always shrouded in mystery. The King needs to stop giving him the benefit of the doubt and stop giving him money."
