Prince Andrew's Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park appears to be falling into disrepair, with exclusive pictures showing worsening cracks in brickwork and peeling paint. The disgraced Duke of York, who has no apparent income, was reportedly told last year to leave the 30-room Grade II-listed property by King Charles III, as he could not meet the £400,000-a-year upkeep costs. However, Andrew refused to vacate the Queen Mother's former home, and a deal was struck in October allowing him to stay if he maintained repairs.
Sources close to the King have expressed alarm at the state of the residence, with one saying: 'The Duke of York has a clear responsibility for the upkeep of the Royal Lodge estate, which is certainly not happening. The state of the residence will be of great concern to the King after everything that has gone on.' Royal expert Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty magazine, said Andrew's 'inflated sense of self-importance' is behind the ongoing dispute, as he feels entitled to live in a palace-like property.
King Charles reportedly offered Andrew the smaller Frogmore Cottage, formerly occupied by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but the offer was rejected. Speculation has also arisen that the Prince and Princess of Wales could move into Royal Lodge with their children. Andrew's finances remain shrouded in mystery; in 2022, he paid a reported £12 million settlement to sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, which he vehemently denies, and sold a Swiss chalet for £17 million, though debts on the property were understood.
Andrew was forced to step down from royal duties after a disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview about his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. His £250,000-a-year allowance from the late Queen is believed to have been cut by Charles, and attempts to return to public life have been blocked by the King and Prince William. The duke continues to use a special royal Range Rover, despite no longer being a working royal and having lost his armed police protection, which previously cost the public up to £3 million a year.
