A palace insider has revealed that King Charles agreed to let Prince Andrew stay in his lavish home Royal Lodge after Fergie committed to shouldering urgent repair costs.
Prince Andrew is insistent on not downsizing as he remains in the Royal Lodge despite King Charles’ attempts to get him to move out, according to SkyNews.com.au Digital Reporter Reilly Sullivan.
“he’s not really being paid by the monarchy anymore because he doesn’t complete any royal duties so his finances are unclear,” he told Sky News Digital Presenter Gabriella Power.
“He lives in Royal Lodge, it’s a huge home on the Windsor estate, it was the Queen mother’s old house and I’m sure, you know, it was fine for him to upkeep this home when he was a working royal but now that he’s very much in the shadows, he doesn’t necessarily have the money.
“But they’ve managed to sort of stave off the eviction for now.”
The 30-room estate in Windsor Great Park is one of the most luxurious properties owned by the Crown and was previously home to the Queen Mother.
Andrew has lived in the home since 2004 under a 75-year lease from the Crown Estate and shares the massive property with his ex-wife.
However, the home has been beset by growing maintenance problems, with the King reportedly using the urgent repair works to pressure the Yorks, both 64, out of the home and into a smaller property.
Prince Andrew has held a 75-year lease on the grand Royal Lodge since 2003. Image: Getty.
While it appeared increasingly likely that Andrew and Fergie would soon leave their long-time home, the Yorks have instead doubled down on their commitment to the property and offered up mystery funds to complete the required renovations.
New photos published in British newspapers last week showed contractors renovating parts of the grand home with scaffolding and skips erected around the lodge.
According to an unnamed palace insider, Charles was finally convinced to let the Yorks stay in the home for the time being after Ferguson committed her own money for the repairs.
“Sarah saying she was able to help support Andrew and cover the costs involved with repairing Royal Lodge was part of the reason why the King was happy to allow them to stay in the property,” a royal insider told the Express newspaper on Sunday.
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Sarah is now expected to personally fork out £200,000 on an external paint job and repairs for his residence due to her ex-husband’s lack of income after losing his royal duties.
Ferguson has her own history of financial problems and debts and was once caught accepting a suitcase full of cash in exchange for access to her ex-husband in a tabloid sting operation.
However, the Duchess of York’s finances appear to have stabilised in recent times, with the former working royal even purchasing an investment home in London’s elite Mayfair back in 2022.
“Everything is being brought up to date (on Royal Lodge) by the end of this summer,” a palace insider told the same newspaper last week.
“Works have been in the pipeline for quite some time, hence why the scaffolding and skips have already been placed on the property and work began this week.”
The update comes after shocking photos revealed the growing dilapidation of Royal Lodge, including peeling paint and discolouration on the home’s iconic white exterior.
Had they not come up with more funds for repairs, Andrew and Fergie were expected to move into the far less grand Frogmore Cottage – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s old home – which is located nearby on the Windsor Estate.