It has been reported that a dispute has emerged between Prince Andrew and King Charles over who bears responsibility for repairs at Prince Andrew’s home, Royal Lodge, in Windsor. While King Charles has suspended his attempts to remove his brother from the property; the Crown Estate, which owns Royal Lodge, is thought to be losing patience with the prince over the building’s exterior condition.
In 2003, the Duke of York secured a 75-year lease and so far, he’s invested more than £7.5million in renovations. According to the Daily Mail, Prince Andrew “is entitled to a partial rebate on his outgoings if given the order of the boot at the end of his first 25 years of his lease.”
This essentially means Andrew should be safe from eviction for another three years at least.
The 2028 date is of importance because it represents a potential turning point when he could face removal while receiving compensation for his substantial £7.5 million investment in renovations.
Royal Lodge reportedly requires approximately £5 million annually to maintain. Despite a recent review showing Andrew’s finances are in “surprisingly good health,” the substantial upkeep costs and repair disputes present ongoing challenges.
King Charles removed his taxpayer-funded security in October last year, hoping to persuade him to relocate to somewhere smaller such as, Frogmore Cottage, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle used to live.
Andrew has been largely excluded from royal duties following his bombshell BBC Newsnight interview in 2019 about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, and he has remained stripped of his royal titles since.
Express.co.uk exclusively revealed earlier this year that Prince Andrew will fork out £20,000 on an external paint job and repairs for his residence, sparking widespread curiosity about his financial resources.
The upkeep of Royal Lodge has already cost Andrew millions in renovations and requires several hundreds of thousands annually for ongoing maintenance work.
“The exterior paintwork could only be looked at once the weather improved and that is a task usually conducted every five years,” the source said. “Repairs to the roof were undertaken last summer, and the paintwork and windows will receive care and attention this year. Andrew is trying to keep within the terms of his lease.”
The source added: “Andrew doesn’t want to move into Frogmore Cottage as he sees it as a major step down. The Yorks make use of the cottage anyway, for Beatrice or Eugenie when they visit with the children, but it’s not something they envision as a full-time residence. It’s not grand enough for Andrew.”