Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
The ongoing debate about whether the Duke of York will continue to live at one of the most famous houses on the Windsor estate, Royal Lodge, appears to have entered a new phase.
The Sun on Sunday reports King Charles will not renew the contract for his younger brother’s security team when it ends this autumn. Since Andrew lost police protection in 2022, Charles has been paying for security at the Royal Lodge. It’s believed no replacement security detail will be lined up.
The Sun on Sunday in addition to The Times reports Andrew’s security costs The King £3 million each year to cover the grounds with the 31-room home.
While The King currently funds the property’s security, Andrew is the one who has the actual lease to the Royal Lodge. It was home his grandmother, The Queen Mother, until her death in 2002. Andrew moved in a year later on a 75 year lease.
One option is for the Duke of York to fund his own security.
Prince Andrew, who is eighth in line to the throne, lives at Royal Lodge with his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York. Their two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are frequent visitors along with their children.
King Charles is now spending the summer at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. It’s believed Andrew will meet him there to discuss the future of this housing agreement.
Prince Andrew had all his patronages and military associations removed during the last years of the reign of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. In 2022, he settled a civil court case brought by Virginia Guiffre around allegations of sexual assault which he denied. It followed years of allegations about his relationship with convicted sex offenders, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.