It seems incredibly convenient that much of the past week has seen a revival of “where is the Princess of Wales,” and then just as suddenly, there’s a big story about Prince Andrew. Andrew is familiar enough with being the family scapegoat, although it wasn’t that long ago when he was the one being protected while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were the ones being scapegoated. Still, in the Carolean era, Andrew is the family’s designated rat. This time, the “what do you mean ‘where is Kate,’ look over there, at ANDREW!” is blindingly obvious. So what’s the big breaking news about Andrew? This time, King Charles insists that he will cut off Andrew’s private funding if Andrew does not move out of Royal Lodge. The Royal Lodge issue has been percolating for nearly two years now, especially after QEII’s death. My opinion: Charles doesn’t actually want to evict Andrew from Royal Lodge, but Prince William keeps demanding that the lodge would be perfect for HIS family. Anyway, here are some highlights from the Times’ big new story:
Charles won’t fund Andrew’s extravagant lifestyle indefinitely: The King has made clear that he is not willing to continue to fund Andrew’s lifestyle at Royal Lodge, the vast home in Windsor Great Park that was home to the Queen Mother until her death in 2002. Andrew, however, is refusing to budge, much to the frustration of his brother. Many fear the duke is making a point of the matter even though he knows that there can never be a full rehabilitation back into the fold.
Charles really wants Andrew to move into Frogmore Cottage: As one source familiar with the situation says, “The King’s kindness is not without limit and there is a very good option for Andrew to move into Frogmore Cottage, recently vacated by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which also has the benefit of being within the Windsor Castle security cordon hence reducing the need for alternative round-the-clock security for Royal Lodge. He is taking longer than desirable to recognise the reality of the situation, even though it is clearly the most sensible course of action. If he doesn’t agree to move to a property better suited to his needs, then the King may have to reconsider the levels of support he is willing to provide.”
Andrew isn’t actually taking care of the property: Recent pictures published in national newspapers appear to show some of the outhouses in a state of disrepair, with paint peeling off the walls. Inside, shelves heave with Sarah Ferguson’s collection of novelty teapots, while Andrew is known for his love of teddy bears. A friend and visitor to the Lodge says, “Sarah is a collector and Andrew is just as bad. He likes to surround himself with stuff, which seems to act like some sort of reassurance in life. Beatrice’s husband [who is chief executive of a property and interior design company] has tried to yank it into something much more manageable.”
Andrew sits in the dark, watching TV, most days: Like the surroundings, Andrew cuts an increasingly tragic figure. With no discernible role, he spends his days watching television in a darkened room. Before the change of reign, Andrew was seen out riding out with his younger brother, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the pair have been riding together as Edward prepares to ride in this year’s Trooping the Colour parade. “Often, Andrew has the horse brought to him,” a local says. “You see it coming in a horse box three times a week to the Lodge and he goes riding from there.”
No one is on Andrew’s side: His continued tenure at Royal Lodge has irked those at the very top of the institution. Former aides are not rushing to help the duke. They still remember being on the receiving end of his “hairdryer” treatment, where he would shout at them for various misdemeanours. They know too that Andrew is stubborn. The situation over his lodgings has now reached such a stand-off that it has been dubbed “the siege of Royal Lodge”.
Andrew’s 75-year lease: It does not expire until June 15, 2078. He moved [into Royal Lodge in 2003], paying nearly £7 million to carry out extensive repairs and renovations on the property. If he left during the first 25 years of his tenure, Andrew would be entitled to get some of the initial outlay back on a sliding scale. Rather than a grace and favour residence, Royal Lodge is let under a commercial lease agreement with the Crown Estate. If the duke dies, the lease can only pass to named members of his immediate family. A friend of the duke says, “The facts remain the facts. He’s got a long lease on Royal Lodge, the family has lived there for 20-odd years and still have 50-odd years to run on the lease. It’s in perfectly good repair because they spent the lion’s share of the sale of their previous house [Sunninghill Park] renovating it from top to bottom, thereby saving any draw on the public purse or the private finances of the royal family. Them’s the facts.”
Andrew is patient: Another acquaintance who has visited Royal Lodge says, “It’s really rather sad but if it’s a case of who will blink first then Andrew is going to dig in. He ain’t going anywhere. He has had a stay of execution with Sarah and the King’s illnesses and he will be hoping that Charles won’t want to be seen as vindictive by turfing him out.”
What Charles is spending to keep Andrew safe & watching TV in a mansion: Charles funds Andrew’s £3 million a year security bill — the Home Office removed his police detail once he had stepped down from official duties — providing static security guards (manning the gate) and mobile ones (who travel with him when he goes out). The King grants the duke an additional living allowance, thought to be well in excess of £1 million a year. If Charles were to withdraw these payments, Andrew would have to fund his own security, housekeepers, gardeners and home improvements. While friends of the King say that he is willing to afford his brother a comfortable lifestyle out of his private funds from the Duchy of Lancaster, the level of funding must be appropriate.
Charles is threatening to cut him off at some point: One friend of the King says, “Unfortunately, if Andrew refuses to leave within a reasonable time frame, then the King may be forced to reassess the whole package of support he provides and the duke would be required to fund the lion’s share of his security, accommodation and lifestyle costs all on his own — which, given the sums involved, is highly unlikely to be possible in the long term. Everyone is mindful of his well-being, and has his best interests at heart, but there are limits of patience and tolerance.”
The “turnkey” Frogmore Cottage: A move to Frogmore Cottage for Andrew would make an immediate saving. While friends of Charles say that the King would continue to pay for mobile security, he would not also have to provide static security for the building. Those with knowledge of Frogmore say that it is a “turnkey” property, meaning that it is in good condition thanks to work carried out by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex before their relocation to America.
William wants the Lodge: If Andrew gave up the lease for Royal Lodge — or sold it back to the Crown Estate — it could be let to another private tenant provided they pass security checks. The Prince and Princess of Wales are adamant that they are happy in nearby Adelaide Cottage, although they would be a more natural fit for the Lodge.
Minus a few details here and there, this could have been written in September 2022. That’s when QEII died and Charles immediately began plotting all of the evictions he could now do as king. In fact, versions of this story have already been reported for more than a year. As I said at the beginning, there’s a reason why the “Andrew must move out of Royal Lodge” story gets revived every few months, and I find it curious that they’re using Andrew as a distraction for “where is Kate” this week. Anyway, yet another reminder that Charles promised his mother that he would look after Andrew and finance his lifestyle. Yet another reminder that Charles is spending around $5 million annually to do just that. Yet another reminder that the Sussexes were evicted from Frogmore just so Charles could put his pedophile brother in the home.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- WINDSOR, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 27: Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York attend the Thanksgiving Service for King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George’s Chapel on February 27, 2024 in Windsor, England. Constantine II, Head of the Royal House of Greece, reigned as the last King of the Hellenes from 6 March 1964 to 1 June 1973, and died in Athens at the age of 82.,Image: 851391450, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- Windsor, Berkshire, UK, 27 February 2024: Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at the Thanksgiving Service for the life of His Majesty King Constantine of Hellens at the St George’s Chapel in Windsor, UK.,Image: 851430536, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Heathcliff O’Malley / Avalon
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- The Duke of York arriving ahead of the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey, central London. Featuring: Prince Andrew, The Duke of York Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke of York departs Westminster Abbey, London, following the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Featuring: Prince Andrew, The Duke of York Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Royals and celebs head to Oswald’s. Featuring: Prince Andrew, Duke of York Where: London, United Kingdom When: 05 May 2023 Credit: Blitz Pictures/INSTARimages **USA AND AUSTRALIA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Members of the royal family, (left to right) Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Mike Tindall and the Princess Royal, attend a thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George’s Chapel Featuring: Members of the royal family, (left to right) Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Mike Tindall and the Princess Royal Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 27 Feb 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Thanksgiving service for the life of King Constantine of the Hellenes at St George’s Chapel Featuring: The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 27 Feb 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Easter Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Berkshire. Featuring: Prince Andrew Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 31 Mar 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Easter Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Berkshire. Featuring: Prince Andrew Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 31 Mar 2024 Credit: Cover Images
I doubt charles will do a thing. Will William live with Kate at the lodge. Or will Kate and children stay elsewhere. Andrew is not a tragic figure he was not forced to get involved with Epstein and ghislaine and go to places with trafficked underage girls. William may be anxious because he wants a grand home for himself.
***in addition to the ones he already has
Sorry William pretty much can have any home if he wants, Charles bought homes as Duke of Cornwall, so can William. So your point here is what?
Remind me what home William ever bought. None, now you get the point.
Peg will live alone or with his “special friends “ in the Royal lodge. Cant will live at the one she lives in now.
In addition to Kaiser’s reminders:
Just another reminder that the pedophile brother that was intended to be moved to Frogmore cottage refused to move there and thus flipped the bird to Chucko-the-vindictive dog sh!t father.
Just another reminder that the joke is on Chucko, he ends up with egg on his flippin face.
Just another reminder that no matter how the try to distract and deflect, nothing will stop people asking where the heck is Kate Missington.
@tessa; I don’t think William wants Royal Lodge for himself and the present family, but in a rare instance of him looking ahead, perhaps he is thinking of what a future family might look like.
Showing a few outbuildings with peeling paint proves nothing. For all anyone knows those are the garden sheds. How does collecting things damage a house? Those teapots and teddy bears are collaborating at night to run around and ruin things? I think it is less likely that KC is concerned with PW having RL and more likely that he has someone with boatloads of money willing to lease it. All this article shows is how willing KC is to support Andrew in comparison to how he does nothing for his own son, d-i-l and grandchildren.
Um, speaking as someone who had to clean out my parents’ home…I think they’re saying (somewhat obliquely) that Paedrew and his ex are hoarders (or hoarder adjacent)? Two almost normal collectibles are mentioned (teddies and teapots) along with surrounding themselves with lots of “stuff” which makes them feel better. That last part described my dad. My mom fought against it (Edo’s doing this apparently) and contained my dad’s collection to areas of their home. It was a lesser disaster.
Yes but as hoarders it would be more reasonable for them to remain in a larger home with more rooms to store those collectibles in instead of a smaller home that is already well maintained. Moving them to a smaller home would only destroy a home that is already in good condition and doesn’t require repair. The reasonable thing would be to repair the areas on RL that need repair and not disturb hoarding that has been happening for decades but continue to contain it in the many, many, many rooms that RL already has vacant and unused.
Oh Nerd, there is not much reasonable about hoarding. Sigh. In real-life normal-people situations, hoarders sometimes get confronted and need to move. The rent increases too much, or they enter a different period of their lives where they need more care, or something happens where emergency services (heart attack, fire, damp home fungus, etc) enter and they get signed up for psychological treatment, etc. I see it as a kind of mental illness. The larger space is mentally comforting in that they aren’t threatened by change or fear losing their collections. But as space gets filled, that is not necessarily safe. And at some point, it needs to be taken care of.
My sympathies to you. I’m going through the same hell with my childhood home. My dad kept it up nicely until the pandemic and then stress got him and he hoarded and it’s falling into disrepair I can’t afford to address without sacrificing my own financial security. My life is currently a hell trying to figure out what to do with the place while paying bills so it still looks occupied. I’m recently widowed, so I’m dealing with unfinished business left by my late husband as well.
Andrew is at the age where he really should be clearing junk out. For any human being I care about, I would say clear out your things while you’re still young and able bodied to do it yourself. Don’t leave this to your children and grandchildren to handle.
I did beg my father to do that. But he just didn’t get to it. So now it’s my problem. As is everything else the men in my life didn’t get to while insisting they had it under control. So, leave it to a woman to deal with.
I think if Bea and Eugenie have anything to say about it all, the whole matter would look very different. But I am sure Andrew is entrenched in his position.
Schrodinger’s Kate, I’m so sorry your husband died. I know you’ve been taking good care of him for a while. It sounds like you have your hands full with two households to navigate. I wonder if you could have an estate sale? A garage sale–but find others to do the work? Maybe a church or charity if you donate the proceeds?
My Mom went through stuff years ago and gave boxes to all of her kids. I now have a box or two that I have to figure out what to do with because I’m not convinced that my nieces and nephews want the family information. She only decided to clear out stuff when one of her sisters died and left a house full.
Houses tend to fall to disrepair for hoarders. They end up with so much stuff there’s no room for standard cleaning–not daily tidying, not more intensive weekly cleanings (whatever your schedule), not deep-dive cleaning such as spring cleaning. I once had a co-worker who was a hoarder. The fellow ruined three houses, and as they found out after he moved out, a fourth one. Nothing gets maintained in a hoarder’s house. It would entail moving stuff & they do not like that.
Schrodinger’s Kate, My condolences on losing both your Dad and your husband recently. Wishing you lots of strength as you grieve and navigate the aftermath. I lost my dad a couple years back, but we also begged him to change and he couldn’t. We also had to go through each book, album, object, etc, because at some point he’d just put bills, important papers and money in the oddest places. It was a literal and figurative mess! I live across the oceaan, so my siblings dealt with most of the physical issues and I flew in for a few weeks at a time. Our parents’ former neighbors were upset with how long it took us to get everything taken care of, even with friends helping and charities coming for stuff. If someone offers help, take them up on it. And try to be gentle with yourself. Hugs!
I always imagine that whenever anybody opens a cupboard at Royal Lodge there’s an avalanche of the Queen Mother’s old gin bottles and musty directoire knickers.
Love this! This stuff always reminds me of the Sir Walter Raleigh’s ode?. My Last Will. Or, as I would call it, the Sh*t I Left Behind.
Frogmore Cottage is most likely a property the Left Behinds are fighting about. Sending Andrew there isn’t an insult, it’s an upgrade. IF, and it is a big IF, Kate is staying on royal property, it’s at Frogmore Cottage. Harry & Meghan made that place a dream come true.imo
Do these writers really believe the keens live under the same roof at adelaide
No, but they still want the masses to believe it.
I barely believe K is alive. Much less that they live together.
Hell. I don’t think K or the kids live there. The place was furnished with the remains of a royal yacht that was being remodeled. It seems like the inside would be a tacky disaster.
Kate pulled out an amazing and brand new kitchen at Amner to put in one that was more to her “taste”. (I have no idea what she likes) I can’t imagine she would move her kids into a home without doing the same.
Maybe the truth of the separation cottage was the Kate didn’t have the kids with her. That they were being housed somewhere else and she had visitations. It would explain the surprise distance between her and the kids on family outings. Like they were more comfortable with William. How the heck d that possible.
Interesting. We’ve moved from a “where is Kate” question to “what is Kate” question.
Good question: What is Kate?
I find it baffling that Andrew “needs” that much security/has that much in security costs and yet they were like “NO security for you!” to Harry and his family, who I’m sure have more actual threats.
Yeah the cost of A’s security doesn’t add up. It also doesn’t make sense that FC still lies vacant in the midst of a homelessness crisis.
Hard to believe when there are so many nasty stories about the Sussexes and hardly any about Andrew that the Sussexes are actually more popular with the British people, especially black people who know that Harry is the one royal who is not racist.
Yeah, and if he spends all his time in a ” darkened ” room watching TV, or riding horses with his brother who has paid security, what does he need security to the tune of millions per year for? Where is he going? What are they protecting him from? Is it just literally driving around Royal Lodge and keeping people out? You could hire a private security firm for way cheaper than 3 million a year to do that. So either they are being fleeced or there’s more to that story. I mean it’s literally the argument they try to give Harry and Meghan. Oh if you come here you will be with us so you don’t need your own private security. The difference is Harry and Meghan are actually working.
…aaaand now I can’t get the idea of rent a cops being hired to protect Andrew.
Paul Blart: Royal Cop (2025) …coming to a theater near you!
@Bitsycs – what’s equally baffling is “they” will tell the public how much Andrew’s security costs BUT when The Guardian tried to get details on how much the BRF security costs the country their FOI was turned down. I seriously believe this figure was plucked out of thin air. It could be true but, knowing the BRF (and their sources) I’ll take it with a pinch of salt.
The whole RL saga has dragged on and on and as much as I loathe Andrew I’m glad he’s not letting the spoilt petulant heir get his own way over this. William has more than enough properties and will have even more when his father passes. He doesn’t need RL and all this nonsense about the place being in disrepair is so that he can get the taxpayers to once again pay for his refurbishments.
@bitsy Well who will keep process servers and the fbi away from him otherwise?!
Also do all these will he/wont he stories really matter because when William is king he’s going to turf him off anyway. William hasn’t made any promises to fund his lifestyle.
Teapots and Teddy Bears. Makes a great title for the Yorks’ biopic.
Teapots, Teddy Bears, a Terrible Transgressor & a Tiresome Twit
Love it!
lol. Now we are gonna get another article about how Andrew is considering doing a tell-all book to be able to pay for everything if Charles cuts him off. It is like “Groundhog Day”, we are gonna watch the same dance over and over again.
Also, Andrew’s royal security wasn’t removed immediately when he stopped being a working royal. It ended to cover their ass after Harry started to sue government for royal protection.
Well if Chuckles cuts him off, Andrew damn well should write a tell-all book.
I don’t say that to raise Andrew up in any way, but anything that shines a light on KC’s misdeeds for the world to see gets my vote.
Someone should. KCIII deserves all the scrutiny that a head of state gets.
Absolutely, Gabby. Andrew can start with Gordonstoun and work up from there.
The most intriguing thing was to find out that a king can pay for private security, while *his son* can’t, not even the few days per year he’d ever stay in the UK.
Et tu, RAVEC?
Other than that, I hope CIII will continue to poke the bear until Paedrew starts spilling something, anything. Be it about the RF’s dirty money scheme, of which he was a big part, or about the Wailses’ marriage, or the one of CIII and his Side Piece Queen of the Gin Mill.
Oh, and Andrew: money can be saved by riding a bike to the stables, rather than having people drive an SUV with a horse trailer attached to RL. For a start.
Love the idea of the bike, in full riding gear.
Yeah, according to this Charles pays for mobile security guards when he goes out. So my question is are these private security guards or actual RPOs from the Home Office. Bc I thought people weren’t allowed to just buy police protection? Or apparently only Harry can’t.
SNORT @ Queen of the Gin Mill
Vacated: kick out in a fit of petty jealousy
Work carried out: paid for by
The passive voice here is ludicrous.
And that was Meghan’s money they stole, Harry didn’t have any. She footed the bill for the renovations – on a CROWN property, that was listed as due for refurbishment.
The CROWN should have paid for those renovations. They owe Meghan $$$. And more for the lease.
“ Those with knowledge of Frogmore say that it is a “turnkey” property, meaning that it is in good condition thanks to work carried out by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex before their relocation to America.”
Finally, one of these papers is quoting a source who credits H&M with having done good work by fixing up Frogmore! It’s frustrating that they had to leave, were kicked out, denied security, the property is to be passed on possibly to Paedrew, but for the first time, someone is praising their custodianship.
But what a kick in the teeth, three decent people kicked out to house the paedo.
I should have mentioned that I was being sarcastic. ITA that it is as you said, “a kick in the teeth!”
What, I wonder, makes the Wales branch “a more natural fit” for Royal Lodge”?
Access to even more unearned money than Andrew? That RL is big enough to afford them separate living spaces — while comfortably maintaining the facade that they live together as a family? William now ranks higher than Andrew within the family — so of course he should get everything he wants? William and Charles both love the optics of shoving the debauched Andrew along with the York’s teddy bears and teapots into the home that Charles snatched from Harry and Meghan and his “darling” grandchildren? Something else?
These are some very nasty, twisted people — from the senior royals to the minions who write about them, insisting that their machinations actually do make some kind of sense.
Technically, both William and Harry have outranked paedrew since birth, but I know what you mean, Blithe.
Many of these people have way too many estates, so I do understand why you question whether the Wails are a better fit for Royal Lodge. I actually think they are (and if forced to give up AC and some other property, they would be an even better fit). Paedrew is disgraced, a non-working royal (even more not working than WanK!), divorced and has adult children. So yeah, no issues downsizing him. Except for his watertight (should he maintain the property) lease.
The thing is that the Wales made the decision to move from London to Wales even though they have a perfectly adequate home in Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace. There they have an actual home that was perfectly suited for all of them, their huge staff, the nearby school and the KP offices for meetings and better access to do royal engagements in London. Them leaving KP for Windsor for a smaller home that doesn’t have enough bedrooms for their family and took them away from being able to take on that extra work they claimed they had because the Sussexes leaving didn’t make sense.
It was the late Queen who decided she wanted her own children above the grandchildren and against the order of precedence.
On paper they’re a family of five and he’s the heir so they need a bigger home and should have more staff (for all their responsibilities and ‘work’ – got to keep the valet close when you’re SO busy). We know the reality is wildly different but I find it interesting that this comment was dropped in. Billy Idle doesn’t seem to have given up on wanting the fancier house officially. Who knows where he would continue to live. Probably KP and Amner.
I was thinkg the last sentence too “a more natural fit for Royal Lodge”. And one can’t help but wonder if this is all the Wales that behind this brouhaha scheme. We know that William is even less accommodating than Charles is.
Huevo gave Fergie a year’s reprieve for her breast cancer surgery, which happened last June. Now it’s time to start ramping up the Get Out of Lodge narrative again. I wouldn’t be surprised if Andrew announces some type of diagnosis over the summer to get Huevo to back off for another year.
This is all fee- fy- foe- fum as Pizza dude is safe under KC but FK is a different matter. Like the song says”Whatever Lola or Willy wants, Willy gets”! FK may coast at work but he has got a big to do list as regards punishing relatives by grabbing houses,, titles, money and getting EVERYTHING for himself.
Again it does circle back to preserving FK’s image: RL could do nicely to shuttle the children between the two separate wings if that is what he wants.
Right? Charles may never actually evict Andrew but isn’t he just on limited time? Bc William surely will when he becomes king. I wonder if Beatrice wants RL? Bc technically wouldn’t it go to Beatrice after Andrew dies and as long as she can keep with up payments, she could live there right? Andrew might also be holding out to assure the lease goes to his daughters. Although maybe she doesn’t want it idk? And wouldn’t William pressure her to give it to him anyways?
William is so effing lazy, the Yorks are probably hedging their bets that he isn’t going to care about Royal Lodge once he is king and has his run of everything. Pedo better hope he hasn’t pissed off one of the powerful courtiers, because this feels like an issue someone with an ax to grind against him will never let go. King Will is going to be so easy to manipulate.
It just seems like RL is a sweetheart deal, monthly payments that are well below market rate. I’m assuming Andrew wants that lease to go to his daughters. Unless they don’t want the burden of it which is possible. And who knows what state it’s in on the inside. And the upkeep would be costly. But if they do want that lease to go to their daughters, they’re not going to give it up easily. Bc let’s say Andrew passes, it would be a very different look for William to try and push out Beatrice and Eugenie and their kids from RL. So if William wants it, he has to kick Andrew out. But that’s the equivalent of pushing Beatrice and Eugenie out from living there in the future. Which is kind of a shitty thing to do but hey apparently the cousins super support William. Either way, it’s gonna be a fight bw people with multiple homes so🤷♀️
I’ve seen Kate Mansey talking about her investigation. She can’t fool me, Charles’s team gave her this story. If they had any news about Harry and Meghan her story would have been about them instead. This confirms to me that Kate Mansey was fed that story about Harry being willing to return to the UK to help out by BP.
Interesting too bc Kate Mansey was the one that Harry brought charges against for libel. He said that she defamed him when she wrote about him only offering to pay for his security once the public found out. As opposed to the fact that he had offered to pay before and had evidence as such. It’s a good bet that BP falsely insinuated to Mansey that Harry had not offered earlier to pay for his own security and was left scrambling when he clapped back that he had and had evidence that he had. Mansey was eventually let go from the mailonline afterwards. However, Harry dropped the case as the judge said it would be difficult to prove defamation. But then conveniently, Mansey gets a new job at the times and now gets leaks of info from BP. Probably to make up for the fact that they had fed her false information about Harry’s security which caused her to be sued and dropped from the mailonline. She landed well.
A few points I feel that I must make:
1) Frogmore Cottage isn’t sitting empty because Harry and Meghan relocated to America. It’s sitting empty because Charles evicted Harry and Meghan. The Sussex’s had a fully paid lease and were planning on using Frogmore Cottage as their UK base, it’s Charles’ fault that it now sits empty,
2) It appears that British police services can be paid for privately, contrary to what RAVEC would have the public believe,
3) it seems that neither Charles or William understand Andrew the way that the queen did. If either of them pull Andrew’s funding or fail to provide him the lifestyle he believes he deserves, then he will scamper off to his wealthy, borderline criminal cronies who would be happy to fund his lifestyle in exchange for access to the BRF and introduction to other royal families. Charles and William are both underestimating Andrew’s ability to continue to bring shame, embarrassment and dishonor to the BRF,
4) lastly, this financial control of one’s siblings is exactly what William envisioned having over the Sussex’s. Long before the Sussex’s stepped back from royal life, I was worried about William having control over them, being able to manipulate them through financial coercion. I am so proud that Harry had the courage to say “no” to all these forms of familial abuse.
Excellent Post @Harla A Brazen Hussy. Bravo 🙂
I second that, mind you it could be amusing.
Agreed, well done.
Charles understands because he would have cut him off once he was king as quickly as he evicted Harry. This is William because the DM caters to his nonsense.
And yes I agree this is completely why William is mad at Harry. He won’t be able to control him like Andrew and the others can be controlled. (Anne seems to have worked a deal where her estate is set up. )
@Harla, I would agree with your points 1, 2, and 4. I disagree with your #3 assessments because when the Queen was alive she wasn’t able to prevent Andrew’s gallivanting nor his association with criminals. Plus, at this juncture, Andrew’s stature is in tatters and his respectable cover is completely blown. Nor does he seemingly now have the freedom or the wherewithal to travel around to different countries being tempted by sexual abuse profiteers and being used by wealthy grifters. He’s already brought enough shame.
QE-II’s private secretary, Sir Christopher Geidt did try to contain Andrew years ago, but to little avail. Ultimately, Andrew, out of dislike for Geidt, went along with Chuck & his courtiers’ nefarious overthrow of Geidt in 2017, right after Prince Philip’s retirement from public duties. At that stage, the Queen threw up her hands, allowing the coup to happen. Afterward, she bestowed more honors on Geidt and he went to work at the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, which he had organized in the first place, with Prince Harry’s help, in 2016.
Geidt’s wise plan to bring all the separate palace communications together under one umbrella was a smart idea, which Charles and William both disliked because they preferred their power-hungry fiefdoms battling it out, apparently. So alas, look at the royal mess that ensued largely under the ‘Machiaevellian’ (as Harry described it in ‘Spare’) power-mongering of courtiers, The Bee (Sir Edward Young); The Fly (Simon Case); and the Wasp (Sir Clive Alderton).
What does “turnkey” status have to do with mobile or static security?
I think it’s to do with Andrew being able to move right in since it was such a lovingly and beautifully renovated family home.
As opposed to whatever moldering, musty, sordid state royal lodge is in.
I imagine the inside much like the playboy mansion in the end days. Dog shit everywhere, “memories” hoarded to high heaven and every surface stinky and crusty.
Turnkey means everything is in great, ready-to-move-in condition. Static security apparently refers to patrolling stationary living quarters. Frogmore Cottage is within the Windsor Castle and Frogmore House royal protection sphere. Royal Lodge is not, so extra static security patrols are being employed at Royal Lodge. Mobile security has to do with RPOs accompanying royal family members when they commute to locales, not on royal property, or when they travel outside of the U.K.
Every time someone asks what is going on w the royals we get another idiotic story about Andrew and royal lodge. Is the king planning to open it to the public? No? Then the security cost is, unfortunately, a moot point. Does it suck that he pays it for Andrew, yup. But has a legit lease. And if William and the rose of the week move in there there won’t be free either.
I don’t care if fergie and andrew are swinging on trapezes in royal lodge, they are contained, he has a lease and since no one is talking about Andrew actually facing the music about his underage girl actions then what, exactly, are we supposed to think about the kings “ wisdom” from this article. They’ve planted numerous vague “ will puts foot down about Andrew/ Charles going to cut him off” stories for years. It’s just hot air.
Harry and Meghan had a lease. There was no hesitation in pulling that right out from under them.
Yes they did, but I believe it was not a lifetime lease. Charles is a small petty man who had a chance to rehab his image and clean it up for the history books. Instead he doubled down, fought a pen, evicted his son, and housed a pedo. Not to mention the sorry juvenile state of his heir…
Instead of beheading those close to him, Charles evicts them. 5m a year IS a lot just to watch TV in a darkened room. Andrew would be just fine in an assisted living facility somewhere. Things must be REALLY bad with Kate if BP is now calling attention to the elephant in the room/pedophile on the estate.
Your comment may well be spot -on.
They had a lease but the property was considered a royal peculiar which means the monarch can do what they want. Royal lodge is under the Crown Estate which is separate and the monarch cannot just break the lease.
Charles would have cut Andrews funds by now if he wanted him gone. This is all William.
But it’s also a reminder of what Harry’s life would have been had he not cut ties and left. William in particular would be a petty nightmare.
Nic919, Harry is actually gone, yet William is still a petty nightmare. He’s just less effective thank goodness.
Sounds like Andrew’s in a very posh prison – just sitting in a dark room watching TV with his teddy bears and 3 times a week they bring him a horse – it’s positively gothic.
It is incredibly gothic.
I wonder if they are painting a “sad” picture of Andrew to show the public – “oh look! See! He’s not doing anything but wallowing in his sins and bad choices! Much self reflection, while watching Lost for the 7th time!”
When he most likely is gallivanting around Europe in various country piles of completely dubious and down right criminal individuals.
It’s not a stretch to think that Andrew just stepped into whatever racket Charles had going on. Charles still gets to be a “mob boss” while his already disgraced underlining can’t hurt his reputation further and does the various pick ups and drop offs of items.
Neither are intelligent, so it’s very likely just a matter of traveling with bags claimed by them that are then excused from going through customs or being check in any manner. Hell. The security guards might be the ones making sure that their royal charge doesn’t f it up by being distracted by a young girl or an especially delightful teddy bear.
Joyful, your description of the crusty surfaces earlier hurt me to read, lolz. This whole BRF clusterF is one crazy blockbuster no one can discern the plot of, they just keep throwing MORE into the grinder: missing jewels and missing princesses, adultery and gin, pedophiles and bags of cash, mouldering castles and raging bald monsters, it’s all just too much. They need an editor.
Lol, the extra security is cheap compared to the loot that comes in.
@Agnes – No editing, just multiple seasons. Imagine what The Crown could have been if it hadn’t been sanitized.
But I have to laugh at the notion that Harry has spilled family secrets when so much is revealed practically every day in the press.
We’ve heard in other reports exactly that, Andy is always at friend’s places shooting or whatever posh people do. This article sounds like bs.
I agree except I think he’s only partying around the UK. I’m fairly sure he’d be extraditable anywhere else in Europe.
They should just move him into apartments at Windsor castle and rent out Royal Lodge to a paying non royal-family-member tenant.
Personally, I don’t think any of the royal family members should be living in any of these properties when there are already several castles they could all be living in. They each* get one home in one castle, and they can purchase their own if they want a second (or 3rd/4th) home or just want to live somewhere else.
*the late Queen’s children and her cousins, and the King’s two sons.
*GASP*
Share a castle?? With other people??? Ohhhh the indignity!
*DOUBLE GASP*
Buy a home? Not be gifted one?? Like a poor?
(As if most people can even afford homes and these ass hats are fighting over one while hoarding a bakers dozen of them)
I am going to assume that Andrew had armed security and given that private security are not allowed to carry arms that Charles is paying the police to provide security for Andrew. Interesting…
That really is the only new information here, and it is a doozy. Chuck is paying for Andrew’s security in exactly the manner we have had four years of court proceedings to scream at Harry and Meghan that NO ONE IS ALLOWED to just PAY for Met security, it’s on the basis of threat level. Chuck is such a piece of shit, and I’m glad to see it in black and white.
People are actually currently in prison for threats to members of the Sussex family, but sure, Pedo obviously has a much bigger threat to his safety.
Harry was brave to bolt and avoid spending his life totally at William’s mercy. A lot of William’s cotinued rage at Harry is because he envisioned financially abusing and micromanaging Harry when he became King and Will-not can’t reboot this narrative until Louis and Charlotte come of age and they are dependent on his nonexistent generosity.
Agreed that a lot of William’s rage stems from this. He was supposed to be able to control Harry for the rest of his life. And Archie and Lili should have been the Wales’ kids spares.
William and Kate have been lording this coming power over everyone in that family. What nightmare people.
A King/Queen should be benevolent, but William is the opposite. A true terror.
The Times article reiterates how Chuck prefers a pedo over his biracial DIL. I wonder if Peg still wants the lodge, he’s very close to being king. Maybe he wants it for his children, who knows.
That whole notion of Harry and Meghan being worse than a pedo is absolutely disgusting, and yet I hear it constantly from people or at best, they lump them all together.
When asked what H and M did, it’s their Netflix and his book. But Charles did the same.
But they don’t say Charles is the same as Pedo. Such hypocrites.
Can we please spare a thought for that poor horse PA’s fat ass tortures thrice weekly? Where is PITA when you need them?!?
The only sympathetic creature in the whole sorry saga.
One of the things I find most fascinating about this is the way these people with almost infinite resources act as if there is a finite amount of housing available to them. They are so stagnant as an institution that they don’t ever contribute anything new, just churn the same properties over and over. It makes the idea of Harry and Meaghan living comfortably in their shiny new Montecito home even more of a radical escape.
I agree with you, but would like to point out that Andrew & Sarah were gifted land by the Queen to build a brand new house, Sunnyhill. The one they eventually vacated, left empty, fell to disrepair, got sold then torn down. That one.
The one that was pretty obviously used for money laundering.
@SenseOfTheAbsurd: yep, that one.
Given Andrew’s ego, I’m not surprised he’s digging in his heels regarding Royal Lodge. His younger brother, the Duke of Edinburgh, lives in an even bigger house than he does. To Andrew, moving into Frogmore Cottage must be the equivalent of moving into a council flat. I doubt Beatrice and Eugenie want to take over Royal Lodge. Didn’t they buy a 5 million pound house in Mayfair for Fergie?
I agree that B&E probably don’t want to take over Royal Lodge after Andrew dies but I absolutely believe that they would want their father to be able to stay in Royal Lodge. I think this is one reason they are both sucking up to William and distancing themselves from Harry (for example, not attending the Invictus service but attending William’s garden party a week later). I don’t think this is going to help them and they should just give it up because the DM was reporting that Andrew and Fergie need to move out because William wants to live there (as it is more befitting his status as heir to the throne). I totally believe this. I think the only reason pressure has been put on Andrew to move is because William wants Royal Lodge. Beatrice and Eugenie need to understand that while Charles and William demand utmost loyalty (in whatever way that means to them) they will not get loyalty in return.
This story again? It couldn’t have anything to do with the new round of #whereskate or the fact that the July 1 release of the Epstein court documents is coming quickly? I expect the rota will be churning out the deflection propaganda regularly in June.
This is coming from William. He has wanted royal lodge for his divorce house for at least 3 years. The Queen wouldn’t even consider it and honestly I think Charles would have booted Andrew out by now just as he did Harry if he wanted this. He’s king after all. If he wants something he gets it.
Andrew should be in jail, but he also has a valid lease that the king cannot just rescind. Frogmore Cottage was a royal peculiar and at the monarch’s discretion.
Charles has also not cut off funding for security and expenses he did for Harry.
Andrew has worked as a senior royal up until he wasn’t allowed anymore. His engagement numbers were not as high as Anne and Charles, but he often did as much as Edward or more. Certainly two to three times as much as William ever has done.
So Andrew did comply with the unspoken rules of that family. If Charles boots him now, he will be doing something worse than whatever Harry is considered to have done. He will have betrayed one of the family members who kept quiet. (Yes it’s twisted but it’s how that family works).
William is the one behind this. Mostly because royal lodge is large enough for him to pretend to live in the same space as Kate and the kids but not actually be near her. Once he is king he gets access to all the properties so he likely won’t bother with this one. I think Charles is banking on that.
I can see Peg wanting the Royal Lodge Bachelor Pad for himself, leaving Kate and kids at AC – if that’s where they are.
It’s close enough that he is in Windsor to maintain a respectable front. Yet it’s removed from the rest of the Windsor family compound. His comings and goings will be more obscured from both family and public scrutiny. Less exposure to judgmental courtiers who may frown on him sitting around drinking all day in his underwear and velvet slippers.
The briefing this time is about tide-fisted Charles not wanting to spend his private money on Andrew’s security any longer. He prefers that the taxpayers pickup that security bill too, on top of the already £300M security bill for the rest of the royal family.
This makes me want to believe that the briefing this time comes from Camilla’s camp. She rather sees that Charles spends his private funds on her and her family, than on his.
With Hugh Grosvenor’s wedding coming up, Will’s wealth and the size of the house has been compared to that of Hugh’s.
I believe Will is jealous, insecure and thinks he deserves a more grand mansion.
Agreed. I also agree with a comment posted here by someone a while back that indicated that Kate and William probably want to move since Pippa moved into her grand home; a home that is much bigger and far and away nicer than Adelaide cottage.
There are so many ‘homes’ on Royal properties
Move them all into one castle and make way for low income and homeless
The recurring theme. All the things they attacked H&M with are coming home to roost.
Scrutiny
Residence
Titles.
Ok Royal Family enjoy what you unleashed.
Does anyone else read these descriptions of Royal Lodge and wonder if Harry and Meghan were thinking specifically of Royal Lodge with a shudder when they turned down some of the properties offered to them as “too grand”?
When I read that part of Spare I admit I was surprised that they had been offered larger, more grand properties and turned them down for that reason!
I mean I remember for the longest time we all thought they were only offered the small Frogmore Cottage as sort of snub.
But now I believe they were sincere. They wanted something that could be made clean, manageable, sustainable, efficient and a true home instead of an ode to ego that some of the grander residences are.
I actually feel a shiver of disgust at the thought of all the material resources and unrenewable energy it takes to keep Royal Lodge running for a pair of empty nesters. It’s a bit much for any nonworking royal family. If they need to host dignatairies let them book something in the palaces.
It sounds like a massive waste. I get the need for historical preservation but I think that should be applied with discernment given the challenges our climate is facing. Replace it with smaller more efficient homes for ancillary royals or lease holders.
This whole situation is gross. The size of these houses alone is ridiculous and then to realize they aren’t their only homes, and they have access to castles and country estates is pretty sick given the cost of living crisis. Add in the cost for staff, landscaping, upkeep, security and it boggles the mind.
They’re so out of touch, they’re just begging for a revolution. Prince Philip must be rolling over watching this clown show.
Old buildings are hard to maintain and expensive. This is why the homes often end up used for films because it gets them money. Harry and Meghan were likely thinking of this.
But future king William and Kate have never cared. She renovated every kitchen she’s had even though she has no real cooking skills. William just wants everything now despite the fact he will get everything in the end.
Seeing as how the housing situation is worse in the UK than any other NATO country, maybe they should be looking at the hoarders of many homes.
I doubt that H&M were necessarily thinking about exactly what you guys are reflecting upon. They simply wanted to live a comfortable, modern, hands-on lifestyle, doing most of their own personal upkeep, aside from cleaning and maintenance. Ironically, they had already done a lot of cleaning, renovating, and maintaining of Nottingham Cottage to make it more homey and liveable after Meghan moved in and they got married.
H&M’s preferred vibe was living in a country environment outside of London, which is why they rented a converted barn at Great Tew Estates in the Cotswolds (an area considered to be one of the most beautiful countrysides in England). When the location of their rented barn home, where they resided on the weekends, was revealed to the tabloid media, H&M had to break the lease to avoid media harassment and further attempts to invade their privacy.
The only grand home I am aware of H&M being offered was Apt 1 at KP, where the Gloucester family had lived for years. H&M were not keen on living there for several reasons: 1) they did not want to make their primary residence in London; 2) by that point, they were probably eager to not live in close proximity with the controlling and petty W&K; 3) Apt 1 was too grand (fusty & old), and it required extensive, long-term renovations in order to be updated to current living standards (which sheds light on the fact that the Gloucesters apparently did not have the funds nor status to keep the property in better condition over the years of their residency); 4) Meg was pregnant, so by February of 2019, H&M needed to move asap to a safe, fully renovated property before her due date arrived.
Fortunately, Frogmore Cottage was already undergoing completed renovations at the time, so it fit the bill in every way, especially in terms of privacy, security, and comfortable, up-to-date country living. A bonus was FC’s beautiful location in Windsor Great Park, where H&M had spent happy moments during their courtship.
Chuck isn’t going to evict Andy……..or remove his funding. All that Andy has to do is threaten to write a book. You think that Spare had them in a chokehold…….. Andrew’s book would take them out….lol
I keep wondering if QE2 made sure to leave money in a trust to Andrew so that he can keep the property up and maintain his lifestyle. I think I remember that RL was given a new roof (after her death). I could see some negotiating behind the scenes (the Escort’s title). Just a thought.
If they’re trying to kick Andrew out, it must be because William wants a second location for another partner, and/or to secure the place for when his own three kids are adults and want their own estates.
But they’d have to pay Andrew a lot of money to get him out. I think Andrew knows the dirt on Charles (and possibly William) so they need to keep protecting him and can’t force him to do anything he doesn’t want to do.
“If he left during the first 25 years of his tenure, Andrew would be entitled to get some of the initial outlay back on a sliding scale.”
This reference to the money Pedrew paid to renovate Royal Lodge INFURIATES me. Were the Sussexes repaid for the renovations to Frogmore Cottage??
And this: “he will be hoping that Charles won’t want to be seen as vindictive by turfing him out.”
And yet Charles got away with turfing out H&M and their children. Sickening that the writer thinks there’s a chance that Charles would draw more criticism for evicting Pedrew. This whole royal worldview is twisted.
Why doesn’t A write his own Spare. It’s sure to make even more money than H’s book and free him from Chuck’s yoke. Sure, he’ll be ostracised by all & sundry but he already finds himself in that situation now. At least he’ll be financially independent.
He’s not ostracised by either the RF or much of the aristocracy. He doesn’t care what the plebs think of him.
He’s still got a lot to lose.
If anything was learned I would think Charles now realizes that when you cut off someone from the family they have nothing to lose which is why Spare was written. Harry didn’t care if the family likes him or not but that point. Andrew does so he will be contained if he’s given what he wants.
And despite the Epstein connection, Andrew was never fully smeared by the press. Absolutely there were scathing and critical articles about andrew but never ever at the level or amount directed towards Harry and Meghan. He was protected while they were used to protect him. Why write a book when you and your family have been more or less protected rather than completely thrown to the wolves?
Assuming The Times article is true, maybe it is time for Charles to rationalise the living arrangements for Andrew & Fergie in huge 30 room Royal Lodge and Prince Edward & Sophie in vast 130 room Bagshot Park – looking at photos the latter looks bigger than Sandringham. There’s no reason why Andrew & Fergie couldn’t live in part of Bagshot Park without ever clapping eyes on Edward & co. Both homes are almost preposterous when compared to Gatcombe P Anne’s home.
An incoming left-wing UK government in five weeks time may make the decision for them.
Sew much good could be done w 5 million per year
When you take away the pomp and the titles you are just left with the realization that these are terrible people who nobody would wnt to be related to if they had a choice. Harry is looking more sane by the year for disassociating himself from these sociopaths
“Taking longer than desirable to recognise the reality of the situation” sounds very on-brand for the Windsors. “Them’s the facts?” “Ain’t?” Who exactly are these “friend of the duke” and “another acquaintance?” This is just an odd story in a number of ways.
I think they would have more luck putting Andrew in one of the unused apartments at Kensington Palace. Charles likely wants to get rid of the security bill, and maybe rent the Royal Lodge out to some wealthy billionaire. George will be off to boarding school in a couple of years so a constant base at Windsor is not so necessary for the Wales.
Okay, so for me a few things
Ick… who would want to live in that decrepit, mouldy, rotting house. I saw those paparazzi pics. Gross. Just gross
It would costs hundreds of thousands of £ if not millions restoring it. That’s going to go down about as well making Andrew a senior working royal & giving him back all his patronages and military jollies
And lastly, more ick. I couldn’t live in a house, or raise my children where a know sexual predator / paedophile lived and quite possibly entertained people like Epstein & Maxwell
I call bs, there’s no way the queen didn’t leave a trust fund for her favorite son.
Not long after the Queen’s death, it was reported that Andrew was peeved because instructions left by the Queen for certain disbursements were not being followed by Charles. I assumed at the time that she did this so as to avoid taxes. I.e, she bequeaths everything to Charles and no taxes are paid and then Charles in turn gives items and/or money to beneficiaries per instructions from the Queen and, if he lives at least 7 years, there is no gift tax. Interestingly, this reporting in the Press lasted a very short period of time and then you didn’t hear anything about it. Which only makes me think it was true! It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Queen trusted Charles to do this and he did not.
I’m old enough to remember when Andrew was considered the dashing, handsome Windsor prince. I’m always startled to see him now. It’s not just age; it’s like a reverse Dorian Gray. All his years of depravity are etched firmly on his unfirm face. Yikes.
I’m distracted by Anne’s knees!
Well, thinking ahead, George, Charlotte and Louis will each need grand homes when they become adults and William is king. I shouldn’t think he would buy or lease estates for them like his grandmother did for her children. None of the Queen’s children were raised to have employable skills in the real world. Clarence House and Royal Lodge will be needed for William’s heir and spares someday. Anne has profitably run her estate, but the same can’t be said for her her two younger brothers.
The courts of Charles1 and Charles 11 were Carolinian. Not Carolean.