GB News is losing the plot!

[LimeBiscuit]

I really don’t think there is a ‘contest’ other than in the minds of parts of the media. One brother will be King in time and the other brother wants to leave a meaningful legacy in his own right. So far both are doing a great job in carving out their own lives. I hope the brothers come to a point in time where they can be friends again. Life is too short to hold on to anger. The media doesn’t help by embroiling itself in their relationship - or lack thereof currently. I think many people in many countries would love to see a sense of family togetherness again with all of the current King’s grandchildren getting to know one another. It would show how a public facing family can overcome its own difficulties if KCIII could bring both brothers into line again. It’s time to stop painting Harry as the black sheep of the family. It hasn’t worked, it just drives more dissent and anti monarchy feeling in the younger generation. If we are to have a King William and a King George then the younger generation do need to see the institution as worth holding onto. As Harry is clearly active on the world stage harnessing his global appeal would be an advantageous move by the current King.

https://www.gbnews.com/royal/kate-middleton-prince-william-news-meghan-markle-prince-harry-contest

As a landlord, I would too, rather than see damage go unrepaired and result in a much bigger bill down the line.

I've been following the move-Andrew-to-Frogmore saga, too, and I get the feeling that it is quietly escalating - Charles no longer paying for Andrew's security as of October, for example.

We'll probably never know if that's trrue or not, but even if it is I wouldn't want to assume he's used his own money - not with the RF's history of dipping into public money whenever and for whatever they can

And whether repairs are carried out or not, I don't imagine it'll prevent a multimillion spend whenever the next royal moves into the place. That too is a well worn path, and we won't get the full story on who's paid for this either

Or just use the fact he is not making repairs to move him out and into Frogmore. I am wondering if Charles is too weak to force the issue?

Did the king tell you that?

@Runnerinthenight Google it. It was widely reported at the time.

I'm pretty sure it was speculation rather than fact?

It was reported as fact. But you are right that Charles did not give an interview stating this. But he rarely does. If went on that standard of evidence we could assume Charles talks to Harry every day and loves Meghan.

Me, I think.

Thanks for posting that link @Nadeed but it doesn’t say the lease was terminated so that it could be offered to Andrew. I may be splitting hairs but I see it as two separate transactions. The house was already essentially empty and looking for a tenant, Charles was just tidying up the formalities.

The following came up in a Google search. Can’t find the “facts” that you are referring to but this is interesting and suggests that it’s not within the King’s direct remit to evict his brother. He needs to involve the crown estate. The best grounds for eviction would indeed be him not keeping the property on a good state of repair. Nothing to do with downsizing although this would obviously be a sensible side effect

I believe the repairs would be paid from the Duchy of Lancashire coffers, as I believe that Duchy owns the property. Prepared to be corrected, though....

In 2019, royal accounts showed Meghan and Harry paid £2.4 million to cover the refurbishment and rental of Frogmore Cottage, on the Home Park Estate, a property they have only used a handful of times since relocating to the US.

https://www.msn.com/en-ie/news/uknews/new-royal-book-claims-senior-royal-pushed-king-charles-to-evict-harry-and-meghan/ar-AA1kvGCT?ocid=BingNewsVerp

You could be right, Rhaidimiddim - I honestly don't know who ultimately owns the place - but my overall point was that I very much doubt Charles would use his own money even if he owned it outright

Edited to add I just checked and apparently Royal Lodge is part of the Crown Estates ...

If Charles really can not evict Andrew, then he needs to find a use for Frogmore. It should not be left empty.

Certainly it should be used.

But as H&M had moved to California, letting them keep the lease would have meant it was empty as well.

It had been split into several units and used for staff offices before H and M took it over. It could go back into admin use.

I have already said that I agreed with ending the lease. But to do so without having an idea of how the cottage will be used is crazy.

But I understood you to say it was terminated to make way for Andrew. So according to your logic there was an idea of how the Cottage would be used.

Frogmore/Andrew/gigantic squirrel!!

Yes I did. Others are saying that is not true though as Andrew's lease can not be terminated by Charles.

No, others are saying that it wasn’t so that Andrew could downsize. Not that it hasn’t been thought that Andrew could move there. He needs to move because he is not maintaining his current property due to costs for renovations. Not because he is being forced in to a smaller property. Frog Cottage has been recently renovated so this problem would be avoided

eta he couldn’t be made to move however because of his lease. It would seem it was hoped he would voluntarily move to Frog Cottage

@smilesy so Harry and Meghan's lease was ended so that Andrew could voluntarily move into Frogmore Cottage, and Andrew is now refusing?

No, it was ended because Harry and Meghan left.

H&M left.

That left an empty property. Possibly one option for using it was that Andrew would downsize, but he can't be forced to.

If he holds out presumably at some point it will be offered to someone else/ used again for offices / whatever

No. They were not residing in it so it seemed a bit pointless them keeping the lease. I. Fact it seemed that they were only keeping it so they could claim to have a UK residence if they needed to for any purpose. If they were living there as working royals, they wouldn’t have been forced to leave or swap houses with Andrew. At least with the Sussexes not holding the lease, there is a possibility that it can be used for something. That would not be the case if they had been allowed to keep it

It's seriously warped