King Charles III and his younger brother Prince Andrew are reportedly at odds once again, this time over the terms of Andrew's relocation from Royal Lodge to a property on the Sandringham Estate. The dispute follows Andrew's agreement to vacate the 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle after being stripped of his royal titles and patronages amid the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
According to reports, Andrew is demanding a six- or seven-bedroom house on the King's 20,000-acre Norfolk estate, complete with a full staff including a cook, gardener, housekeeper, driver, and police security. The Royalist newsletter cited sources saying Andrew insists staff address him by his royal titles, despite the King formally removing them.
The delay in Andrew's move, now expected as late as February, is attributed to his extensive list of demands. A former courtier told The Royalist: 'Knowing Andrew, this was always going to be about money. Andrew is essentially being bought out of the lease, so he will haggle over every last detail of the deal.'
Andrew's lease on Royal Lodge, held with the Crown Estate, was for 75 years at a 'peppercorn' rent, with him responsible for maintenance. He had invested £8.5 million in the property and expected to pass the lease to his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Biographer Andrew Lownie told the Mirror: 'Life isn’t always fair, but he had put £8.5million into this house which he expected to have for his children until 2078... I don’t think we can quibble about that.'
The King has also removed Andrew from the Order of the Garter and the Royal Victorian Order, further reducing his royal privileges. A former staffer revealed in Lownie's book 'Entitled: the Rise and Fall of the House of York' that Andrew's main grievance is the loss of his status and perks.
