Prince Andrew's ongoing residency at the Royal Lodge, despite King Charles III's requests for him to vacate, is shaping up to be a source of tension within the royal family. The Duke of York's refusal to leave the property, where he currently resides with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, could create significant challenges for the King, especially if Andrew follows through with plans to pass the lease on to his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Royal commentators have raised concerns about the implications of Andrew's decision to stay put at the Royal Lodge, a grand 30-bedroom estate in Windsor. According to Svar Nanan-Sen, a royal editor speaking on GB News, "There are reports that Andrew intends to pass on his lease to Beatrice and Eugenie even after he dies. Whether that's something Beatrice and Eugenie would be interested in is a completely different topic."
The issue isn't merely about who occupies the Royal Lodge, but rather the potential for further entanglement in what has been described as a "messy feud" within the royal family. If Andrew's daughters were to inherit the lease, they could find themselves dragged into the ongoing tensions between their father and King Charles.
This situation has been brewing since 2023 when Charles requested that Andrew vacate the Royal Lodge and relocate to a smaller property, with Frogmore Cottage-a residence previously occupied by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle-seen as the likely alternative. However, Andrew has shown no intention of leaving the Royal Lodge, where he has lived since 2003 under a lease agreement that still has over 50 years remaining.
The potential for conflict arises from the fact that Andrew, despite being stripped of his HRH status and various royal privileges due to his controversial past, retains a strong attachment to the Royal Lodge. His plans to pass the lease to his daughters could complicate King Charles's efforts to streamline the royal family's use of properties, particularly in light of the housing crisis facing the UK.
The situation is further complicated by Sarah Ferguson's continued residence at the Royal Lodge. Ferguson, who was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after Charles's initial request for Andrew to vacate, has reportedly influenced the timeline of any potential move. Cameron Walker, a royal correspondent, highlighted the practical challenges of moving from a spacious estate like the Royal Lodge to a significantly smaller property, saying, "Moving from a 30-bedroom house into a cottage... could cause issues."
Adding to the complexity, Christopher Andersen, a royal biographer, has speculated that King Charles's own health concerns, coupled with those of Kate Middleton, may have shifted his priorities. "Andrew isn't going anywhere for the time being," Andersen noted, suggesting that the King may not be in the mood for a "knockdown drag-out" with his brother over the Royal Lodge.
For now, it appears that Andrew will remain at the Royal Lodge, with the possibility of passing the lease to his daughters, creating a looming issue for King Charles to address in the future. The Royal Lodge itself, steeped in history and significance, remains a symbol of the broader struggles within the royal family as they navigate modern challenges and internal disputes.
While the potential move by Beatrice and Eugenie into the Royal Lodge could provide stability for Andrew's daughters, it also threatens to embroil them in the ongoing tensions between their father and the King. The prospect of the Royal Lodge remaining under the Duke of York's influence, even after his death, raises questions about the future of royal properties and the ongoing management of the royal family's vast estate.
