King Charles and Prince Andrew are currently locked in a ‘standoff‘ over Royal Lodge (Image: Getty)
King Charles and Prince Andrew are currently locked in a ‘standoff‘ after the monarch reportedly cut off his brother’s 10-strong security detail at Royal Lodge in a bid to oust him.
However, Andrew has been refusing to leave the 30-bedroom property in Windsor – thought to be worth £30 million – despite being offered the use of nearby Frogmore Cottage, which underwent a £2.4million renovation in 2019.
With King Charles appearing to be withdrawing private funding for security on the estate which currently costs £3 million a year it seems that Prince Andrew may have found a security loophole in the final hour.
Express.co.uk exclusively revealed that Andrew instead may opt for a “mobile security” team as a compromise due to the escalating costs, ensuring the property is adequately protected.
Prince Andrew has been refusing to leave Royal Lodge (Image: Getty)
However, veteran royal biographer Robert Jobson believes that the shamed royal is “doomed” and “there is no reason for him to live there anymore”.
Mr Jobson told the Australian morning show, Sunrise: “Charles has been trying to get him out for some time. He got a great big long lease from the late queen and has been holding that over his brother’s head. But the truth is, he can’t really afford to live there.
“The roof’s falling in and the king reckons, I suppose, that if he can get his brother out, he can actually rent the place out to some billionaire or somebody else that would actually bring in a lot of money to the royal coffers. So, I think that Andrew’s pretty much doomed and he’s probably going to have to get out of there.”
Friary Court at Saint James’s Palace in London (Image: Getty)
Wood Farm is the most likely option for Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson’s future home, nestled on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
The red-brick, five-bedroom home fits King Charles’s wish that Prince Andrew’s new residence keep him far away from the public eye.
This is why the King is unlikely to offer Andrew an apartment in St James’ Palace in London, where Princess Beatrice has an apartment.
Nestled among the hustle and bustle of the city the grand brick palace offers the Royal Family privacy behind its gates in an extremely central location.