King Charles allows disgraced Prince Andrew to stay at Royal Lodge after deal
After many months of speculation, it appears that the Duke of York will be allowed to keep his home at the 30-room Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate, rather than relocate to a smaller home, The Mirror reports.
The news comes after ongoing reports that King Charles wishes to downsize the number of properties that make up the royal portfolio, it was suggested that Prince Andrew could move into the slightly smaller Frogmore Cottage – the former home of Prince Harry and Meghan.
The paper has revealed that Andrew, 63, has been granted a “stay of execution”, despite his annual £250,000 handout being stopped the King and his home needing an estimated £2million in repairs.
It has also been claimed that Prince Andrew had paid more than £200,000 for roof repairs over the summer, described by sources as an "interim payment".
However, the Grade II listed house, which was previously the home to the Queen Mother until her death in 2002, is in need of much more urgent repair including damp throughout the property.
Royal sources have confirmed to the Mirror that the King and the Duke met privately during the family break at Balmoral at the end of August, where the issues were discussed in detail.
The insider added: “Andrew’s stance has paid off. He has refused all attempts by the King to leave his home, dig his heels and the King has relented and granted a stay of execution.
"He (Andrew) is in agreement that the property needs repairs, for which he has already paid more than £200,000 recently to sort out the roof and has said he will make the further necessary renovations. It seems the King just wants to move on for the time being which might be a good idea for everyone.”
OK! previously revealed that Queen Elizabeth had made provisions in her will to allow her second son to stay at the home in Windsor.
“There was money left to the family by the Queen,” the source explained. “Details of the exact amounts and to whom will never be revealed because the papers have been sealed. But that’s where Andrew is getting the money from to repair Royal Lodge.”
“He’s been quite open about where the money has come from because he doesn’t want people to think he has come up with it through other means.”
Royal Lodge is a Grade II listed home on the Windsor Estate in Berkshire and is just a five mile drive from the King's home of Windsor Castle. It was built in the mid-seventeenth century and did not have a permanent royal resident until the 1930s when the Duke and Duchess of York were granted it by King George V.
The Queen Mother continued to use the lodge after King George VI's death in 1952 and died there on March 30, 2002 with the Queen by her side. Following the Queen Mother's death, the property was leased to Prince Andrew in 2003 and he was required to pay for any and all renovations himself.
It is thought that the costs of the improvements rose above £7.5 million. Along with the main house, the lease included the Gardener's Cottage, the Chapel Lodge, six Lodge Cottages, police security accommodation and 40 hectares of land. Prince Andrew shares the property with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York.
OK! magazine reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
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