King Charles And Prince Andrew's Latest Rumored Feud Is All About Money
King Charles III hasn't let Prince Andrew off easy after sexual assault allegations were leveled against him. Andrew's role as a working royal and his military titles were taken away in 2022. Now, Charles is officially kicking Andrew out of his home at the Royal Lodge, which is reportedly making an already tense brotherly relationship more difficult. Unfortunately, money is at the core of the issue, and Charles is no longer willing to pay as much as he has been for his brother's comfort.
Charles is not forcing Andrew out on the street; rather, he has boundaries he wants to enforce. Charles simply wants Andrew to move somewhere less expensive than his current home. He has asked Andrew to move to Frogmore Cottage, which is where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lived before making their move to the U.S. While Frogmore Cottage is still one of the royal family's properties, it would be a much less expensive home for Andrew than the Royal Lodge, since the latter is a sprawling mansion with a whopping 30 rooms. A source close to Charles explained to The Times that Andrew's move "can be done with grace and dignity or it can be forced upon him. ... The only question now is when he will realize that he has become a prisoner of his own pride — and that handing back the keys will afford him far greater comfort, and the continued support of his family." Evidently, though, Andrew is still putting up a fight.
Prince Andrew's refusal to move is creating a wedge between him and King Charles
Prince Andrew moved into the Royal Lodge in 2004, and he has already overstayed his welcome, considering the fact that it's been over two years since his time as a working royal ended. Now, not only has Charles been paying over $511,000 yearly for Andrew to live there, but the king is allegedly interested in moving into the mansion himself. A source tells The Sun that King Charles will "reconsider the levels of support he is willing to provide" if Andrew doesn't give up his home.
Charles reportedly doesn't mind funding Andrew's living situation, but there is a cap to the amount of money he's comfortable shelling out for his brother. In an interview with The Times, a friend of Charles explained that if "the siege of Royal Lodge" should continue, Andrew "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." Clearly, Andrew is running out of time to keep the situation as is, and though it may feel like a slap in the face, it's surely best for him to take Charles' proposed deal and move on.