Prince Andrew is said to be fighting to keep Royal Lodge(Image: AFP via Getty Images)Prince Andrew‘s future at Royal Lodge remains in doubt. Having resigned from public roles in May 2020, and later stripped of his patronages by the Queen over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, questions have persisted over whether he should be allowed to remain at the grand Windsor estate – and how he will afford it.
His brother the King is said to have been putting pressure on Andrew to vacate the 30-room property and move into something smaller and more suitable; at present, it is only Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson that reside at Royal Lodge, with their daughters living away with their own families.
As such, there has been great speculation as to who will move into the Windsor estate should Andrew decide to leave.
The 30-room Royal Lodge is located in Windsor Great Part(Image: REX/Shutterstock)It was previously reported that Prince William and Kate will be offered the seven-bedroom royal residence as a family home with their three children. But that seems unlikely; experts have noted that the couple currently seem to be very happy and settled at their current residence, Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park.
What is more, Adelaide Cottage has been set up as a family house with no live-in staff. Moving into the vast Royal Lodge would mean having to accommodate domestic staff, something William and Kate are said to have resisted. With that in mind, Charles could give the 30-room mansion to another prominent couple.
Gareth Russell, a royal author, previously spoke exclusively to GB News about who would be best suited to move in. He noted Royal Lodge’s high-profile history – it was the last home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother – and the fact it has traditionally been assigned to senior royals.
He said: “The logical choice, of course, would be the Prince and Princess of Wales, but they’ve shown relatively little interest in moving home again. They seem quite content where they are. It could be the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.”
Edward and Sophie have lived at Bagshot Park ever since their wedding in 1999. The Grade II-listed building is set within 51 acres of land and has a whopping 120 rooms after it was demolished and rebuilt in 1879.
Whether they choose to up sticks and move remains to be seen. But according to Russell, there is another option.
King Charles could look to rent out Royal Lodge(Image: PA)“It could also be that this is part of another move by the King to slim down or shake up the royal property portfolio. It’s not the case that we’re seeing them being replaced by other royals as much as they were in the past. So it may be that Royal Lodge is just put to different use once Prince Andrew leaves. It’s possible that no one will go into Royal Lodge.”
King Charles is said to be urging his younger brother to downsize to Frogmore Cottage – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s former home. But it’s believed Andrew is unwilling to leave the property and has rejected alternate accommodations as he remains reliant on a “cast-iron lease”.