Prince Harry is reportedly “deeply upset” at the prospect of his disgraced uncle Prince Andrew moving into the Sussexes’ former home Frogmore Cottage, as he clutches onto last hopes he and Meghan Markle will be handed back their UK base.
Frogmore has largely laid empty since Harry and his wife Meghan left the home, a wedding gift from the late Queen, after stepping down as senior working royals in 2020 and moving to the celebrity enclave suburb of Montecito, California.
King Charles then asked the Sussexes to officially vacate the property indefinitely last March.
But the historic home likely won’t lay bare for much longer, as King Charles is said to be encouraging his disgraced brother to swap 30-room Royal Lodge for Frogmore Cottage.
Speaking to the UK’s Mirror on Thursday, royal expert Tom Quinn claimed Harry was “deeply upset” at the “very real prospect” Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will take up residence in the home which was his last foothold in the UK.
“However deep the rift with his father and brother, Harry always had hopes that he and Meghan might eventually be allowed to re-establish Frogmore Cottage at Windsor as their UK base,” he said.
“For King Charles, forcing Andrew to move to Frogmore solves several problems at once – it sends a message to Harry that, as a private citizen and no longer a working royal he will never be allowed back to Frogmore.”
The insider said Prince Andrew was meanwhile enraged King Charles reportedly ordered the 64-year-old to leave the royal lodge following the Duke of York’s controversial links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Andrew is furious that despite his pleas to his brother to be allowed to stay at Royal Lodge he has been given his marching order,” he said.
“The spat has been going on for some time. Always bullish and overly confident, Andrew was convinced that if he stood firm and continued to refuse to move his brother would give way, but now that Charles is King this is not going to happen.”
Andrew has lived in the home, 3.2 miles south of Windsor Castle, since 2004 under a 75-year lease from the Crown Estate and he shares the grand property with his ex-wife.
While sources close to the King said the monarch is willing to pay for his brother and sister-in-law to live comfortably, the level of funding needs to be appropriate, and he wants the Yorks to move to a smaller property for reasons set to change to course the British royal family.
Mr Quinn said the pushing the York’s out signifies to Andrew that “having disgraced himself”, he can no longer expect to reside in “grand style”.
“And, finally, it means that a suitably grand residence can be made ready for the royals who really matter – William and Kate.
“Charles is determined that Royal Lodge is the only residence on the royal estate at Windsor that is big enough and regal enough for his heir.”
Andrew was last year granted one “stay of execution” after he shook a deal with the King to carry out urgent repair works on the 19th century, Grade II-listed property.
It comes after shocking new photos revealed the growing dilapidation of the grand home following reports the Yorks could no longer afford it since Andrew was stripped of his royal duties.
Photos of the royal home released by the Daily Mail last month revealed large chunks of white exterior paint have cracked or completely peeled off walls.
Other wings of the grand mansion look grey in appearance because the ageing white colour scheme has been neglected.
Andrew last February settled the civil sexual assault case brought against him in the US by Virginia Guiffre, who claimed she was trafficked by Epstein, for a reported £12million.
The settlement held no admission of liability, guilt or wrongdoing on Prince Andrew’s part.