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Prince Andrew has a 75-year lease on Royal Lodge & has no plans to move house

It’s genuinely hilarious that Prince William and Prince Andrew didn’t even let King Charles have one full fortnight to bask in his coronation glory. Both William and Andrew called up their friendliest media allies and started leaking sh-t about their separate (but soon-to-be-entangled) dramas about five days after the coronation. William ran to Roya Nikkhah at the Times to talk about what HIS coronation will look like. Meanwhile, Andrew is in the trenches and whining to anyone who will listen that mean old Charles will evict him from his humble Royal Lodge mansion. In addition to chatting with his allies at the Sun and the Mail, Andrew must have also called up Camilla Tominey to talk about how he’s never letting go of his 75-year lease on Royal Lodge. Some highlights:

A 75-year lease: The Duke of York has “no plans to move house” because he has a 75-year lease on Royal Lodge, Windsor. The Daily Telegraph has learned that Prince Andrew intends to honour the terms of the lease he signed on in 2003, which has 50 more years to run.

Refusing to budge: Last night, a source close to the disgraced Duke, 63, distanced him from reports suggesting he “fears the royals may turn off the utilities to get him out”. A friend told the Mail on Sunday that he is in low spirits and “refusing to budge” from the property, which is understood to have been earmarked for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children. But a source close to the Duke said he did not recognise the claims, adding: “He has a 75-year lease and has no plans to move house.”

King Charles cut his allowance: Earlier this year, the newly-crowned monarch made a cut to this brother’s annual allowance of £249,000, effectively pricing him out of the running costs of the 30-room home. The Duke, who relies on the allowance since he left front-line royal duties in 2019, moved into the Grade-II listed house in Windsor Great Park following the death of the Queen Mother in 2002.

What’s in the lease agreement: The lease agreement required Andrew to carry out, at his own expense, refurbishments estimated at £7.5 million. It also provided for a premium payment of £1 million to the Crown Estate. Under the terms of the agreement, approved by the National Audit Office, the Duke may not benefit financially from any increase in the value of the property as the freehold belongs to the Crown Estate. The leasehold may be assigned only to his widow or his two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie or a trust established solely for their benefit. If he terminates the lease, the property would revert to the Crown Estate and he would be entitled to compensation for the refurbishment costs incurred up to a maximum of just under £7m, which is reduced annually over the first 25 years, after which no compensation is payable.

Fergie’s flats: Sarah Ferguson purchased a pair of flats costing up to £7m in the heart of Mayfair as a “long-term investment” for her daughters. It is thought she is converting the flats into one home, but a source close to the Duchess said she wasn’t planning to live there with Andrew.

[From The Telegraph]

“It also provided for a premium payment of £1 million to the Crown Estate” – meaning what exactly? Andrew “paid” £1 million to the Crown Estate and that’s it? We’ve previously heard that Andrew’s monthly “rent” for Royal Lodge is a tiny fraction of market rate – if Charles wanted to fight his brother, there’s no reason to outright evict him, surely, when Charles could just order the Crown Estate to raise his rent to market rate? That being said, I really do get the feeling that Charles isn’t going to do a damn thing. The whole house switcharoo scheme had one purpose, which was: evict the Sussexes and rob them of the millions they invested in Frogmore Cottage. The cherry on top was offering Frogmore Cottage to Andrew free of charge, which (again) was specifically designed as to cruelly punish the Sussexes. Now that the Sussexes have been evicted, Charles probably will let Andrew stay at Royal Lodge. That is, unless William continues to throw a massive tantrum about how Royal Lodge would be perfect for HIM.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Mike Tindall, Zara Tindall, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Prince Andrew Coronation of King Charles III, May 6th 2023.King Charles III and Camilla the Queen Consort, members of the Royal family and VIP’s arrive at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation service. Pictures by Dan Charit Coronation of King Charles III, May 6th 2023.King Charles III and Camilla the Queen Consort, members of the Royal family and VIP’s arrive at Westminster Abbey for the Coronation service. ;,Image: 774185717, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Unknown / Avalon Prince Andrew departs after the Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London, United Kingdom, on 06 May 2023.,Image: 774200058, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: James Veysey/Shutterstock / Avalon Prince Michael of Kent (L) and Prince Andrew departs The Coronation Service of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey in London, England, UK on Saturday 6 May, 2023.,Image: 774227888, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
Prince Andrew during the Coronation of King Charles III, London, United Kingdom, on 06 May 2023.,Image: 774246840, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Phil Harris / Avalon Duke of York, Prince Andrew, at The Coronation of King Charles III at London”s Westminster Abbey 06 May 2023,Image: 774252265, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Mark Stewart / Avalon WINDSOR, ENGLAND – MAY 07: Prince Andrew, Duke of York during the Coronation Concert on May 07, 2023 in Windsor, England. The Windsor Castle Concert is part of the celebrations of the Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the other Commonwealth realms that took place at Westminster Abbey yesterday. High-profile performers will entertain members of the royal family and 20,000 guests including 10,000 members of the public.,Image: 774495370, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Leon Neal / Avalon

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