Do you think Prince Andrew should be made to leave Royal Lodge?

[Houseplanter]

Another (trashy) article in the press today saying Andrew needs to downsize out of Royal Lodge and make way for Wills & co.

Apparently he doesn't have the fund for its upkeep, it's falling in to disrepair.

W & C obviously could make better use of it.

He's been there 30 years so I can understand he doesn't want to move out of essentially his family home. My own view is he should be in deepest darkest nowhere, but wondered what others thought.

Is there any reason at all to leave him be?

According to the DM (sorry) a skip and some scaffolding has been spotted at the Lodge. In the photos, the old place looks dilapidated. There goes the neighbourhood.

I'm sure he has inheritances but I also suspect he ploughs through money quite quickly keeping up the facade.

He was plugging a mate's private banking business in off-piste meetings when he was on his publicly funded trade envoy jaunts, sold the closed up and near derelict 'South York' to a Khazakhstan businessman for £3m over the asking price after reportedly acting as his fixer (denied), received cash from an alleged fraudster (Fergie and both daughters too) and hid his investments in a shell company for years not to mention skimming his charitable enterprise Pitch@Palace entrants for a 2% stake in their business.

I think it very likely he's still rolling. No wonder those undoubtedly fascinating trade envoy documents have been sealed until anyone currently interested is long gone.

I agree with PP’s that he’s feeling the pinch now that Mummy isn't bankrolling him anymore and likely has breached the lease terms with regard to upkeep. But Charles doesn’t want to cause (another) family rift by kicking him out and Andrew doesn’t have the decency to agree to downsize.

I think there could be something in the waiting Charles out theory especially given this year's diagnosis. Bit reptilian but he's a git so in keeping I suppose.

Always possible too he knows where some juicy skellies are closeted especially bearing in mind the reports the palace were war-gaming the top hundred possible discreditable disclosures Harold might vomit to the world in his NF documentary.

A bit off topic, but I imagine the recent refurb saw some bedrooms converted to make en suite bathrooms.

Anyhoo back to the creepy entitled lazy thick arrogant skint royal...

I think it very likely he's still rolling. No wonder those undoubtedly fascinating trade envoy documents have been sealed until anyone currently interested is long gone.

I agree with the millions from dubious deals but I think he's blown through those. I genuinely don't think he'd have sold his chalet in Verbier or wherever if he hadn't had to. The settlement to VG and his legal fees (he hired Pinochet's lawyer) must have made a big dent,

And I bet he saw selling it as a humiliating loss of face amongst the rich set he thinks he's an equal of.

@blue345 I think the Queen paid the settlement &/or lawyer, didn't she?

You might be right but presumably because he couldn't? Although why did he sell the chalet if not for that reason?

Possibly he didn't have the liquid cash so the Queen paid some or all of the legal bill. But then she made him pay it back / cut his allowance so he didn't have the cash to pay to the French woman he owed money to for the chalet. She threatened to sue him so he had to sell the chalet to pay his debt.

His connection with Epstein has ruined him financially as well as reputationally.

I imagine if you’ve been spoilt your entire life, it’s difficult to change your entitled attitude in your 60’s.

When the Queen Mother died in about 2001, she left Andrew her, by then short, lease (arranged through the Crown Estates) on Royal Lodge and money. In 2004, he extended the lease to 75 years and the condition was he had to repair and update and redecorate the building and then maintain the building and grounds to an annual schedule. In total it cost him £8.5 million of his personal fortune to extend the lease and do all the work. The conditions were that if he was required to leave, the Crown Estates had to pay back some on that money on a sliding scale for the first 25 years then no repayment would be due. That period is now close to the end.
He is, apparently, not maintaining the property to the required standard as stated in the schedule so can be required to leave with little repayment of any funds. It's a Grade II listed building and has several significant buildings in its estate and the estate itself is expensive to maintain. The former Queen and now the King have paid a grant to contribute towards this but apparently the King is no longer minded to do so and Andrew can't afford to pay (I find that hard to believe).
I think he should not be living in a high-profile property of the Crown Estate. He should be living somewhere like the small farm in Sandringham (a private property) where his father lived in his later years- small, private and low-profile.
I don't think he should take part in any Royal Family public event- eg Easter Church Service, Christmas Day service. He is a disgrace and no public association with him should be made.
Presently, he has numerous privileges - eg riding out with grooms and stabling of horses at Windsor stables in the Great Park, attendance at national events like the Coronation, the Easter Service at St Georges as a member of the Royal Family. Just should not happen. He should not be allowed onto Crown Estate lands or into the buildings- London palaces- Buckingham, St James , Kensington- Windsor Castle and Great Park, Sandringham is privately owned so that's up to them.

So yes, he should leave Royal Lodge and no he should not move into Frogmore Cottage- it is Crown Estate property.

It's 5000sq ft. That's not too shabby for a bachelor pad. Andrew isn't a key figure at the heart of Empire, rancid embarrassing old uncle more like.

Frogmore cottage is a more than 5,000 square feet, four bedroom, four bathroom grade II listed house. It’s not a cottage as you or I would describe a cottage! Albeit, a comedown from 30 bedrooms…

Yes, he's not being asked to move into this sort of thing but he still should not be in a Crown Estate property.

He should bite Charles hand off and accept Frogmore Cottage otherwise Charles might think sod it he’s only getting Nottingham Cottage, now that would be a come down!

@LuluBlakey1 that picture made me laugh!

I think he should be publicly executed in some amusingly trad way,
like beheaded at the Tower of London in front of the massed army bands, beefeaters, and the Household Cavalry. With a final speech and Red Arrows flypast. And Huw Edwards doing commentary. Otherwise there won’t be any royal pageantry nonsense until Charles shuffles off this mortal coil.

Of course he should leave. Spoilt entitled pompous brat.

The conditions were that if he was required to leave, the Crown Estates had to pay back some on that money on a sliding scale for the first 25 years then no repayment would be due. That period is now close to the end.

@LuluBlakey1 Interesting. I wonder whether Charles will wait until 2029 and then push him out.

Apparently they were just given Adelaide Cottage until Royal Lodge is free. That's what all the royal correspondents seem to have been briefed anyway.

Apparently PW wants it.

How true!

😂

Ah, so maybe Charles is issuing a 5-year warning?

I'd certainly like to see Andrew hold good on his offer to talk to the FBI / US authorities, and stop 'hiding in plain view' at Windsor, taunting the public with his posturing performances around its grounds, properties and church. He is revolting.

I think QEII lost a fair amount of lot of people's respect over her indulgence of Andrew. I know as a human being it's hard for Charles having to deal with his own ill-health, Catherine's ill-health, the Harry situation, and Andrew, all at the same time; but them's the apples in his basket. Out of all those challenges, dealing with Andrew should be the easiest one.

The corgies are living with Fergie, and she is living with Andrew. Do you seriously expect the corgies to downsize to Frogmore Cottage?