Prince Andrew is under mounting pressure to vacate Royal Lodge in Windsor as talks intensify over the future of the 30-room property he has occupied for more than two decades.
The Duke of York has reportedly agreed to leave if he and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, are offered alternative residences on the Windsor estate. It is understood Andrew has asked for Frogmore Cottage, previously occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, while Sarah is said to favour Adelaide Cottage.
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A friend of the couple told The Sun: “Andy is willing to leave, but these are his demands. He is realistic and knows the writing is on the wall and that his time at Royal Lodge is up. If he must go then he has asked for Frogmore Cottage. Incredibly, Sarah has said she wants Adelaide Cottage.”
The request comes ahead of the Prince and Princess of Wales moving from Adelaide Cottage to Forest Lodge. Their relocation, expected next month, will allow their family to settle in before Bonfire Night.
Royal Lodge, a grace-and-favour home, has become a focus of public and political scrutiny. Andrew has paid only a “peppercorn rent” since taking up residence and was stripped of his royal titles earlier this month following renewed controversy over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The King has reportedly cut Andrew’s annual allowance in a bid to increase pressure on his younger brother to leave voluntarily. Although the Duke initially cited what he described as a “cast iron” lease with the Crown Estate, there is now a widespread sense that a move is inevitable.
A friend of the couple described the plan as a “fresh start for both.” They said: “Frogmore Cottage is too small for both and Adelaide Cottage is around the corner, so they will see each other whenever they want. Both have space for their daughters Eugenie and Beatrice and their families to visit.”
The National Audit Office is expected to examine Andrew’s finances in the coming weeks, as scrutiny of his grace-and-favour arrangements grows. A recent statement by the Prime Minister backed calls for closer examination of the lease, with Sir Keir Starmer saying he supported “proper scrutiny” of all Crown properties.
Calls for accountability have also come from opposition MPs. Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has urged a select committee to investigate the arrangement and invite Andrew to give evidence.
An inquiry of this nature would fall under parliamentary oversight of Crown Estate properties, which are managed independently of the monarch. Full details of how the estate is run are publicly available through the Crown Estate website.
Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have declined to comment.
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