“Siege of the Royal Lodge”. the affair that divided Charles III and Prince Andrew

For several years now, the Windsors have had a sword of Damocles: Prince Andrew. The younger brother of Charles III, accused of sexual harassment and involved in the case of Jeffrey Epstein, has become persona non grata of the English royal family. Stripped of all his titles, shunned from the media, he still resides in his Royal Lodge home, clinging to his mansion “like an oyster to its rock,” he quips. Point . And this, to the great disappointment of the king, who is trying to regain control over the 30-room mansion. “It’s a subdued but muscular confrontation that once again pits two brothers who are enemies of the crown against each other,” journalist Mark Furney writes in the introduction to his column. A disagreement that the media has already nicknamed the “Siege of the Royal Lodge”.

What is really happening? If we believe the information of the British press, Charles would ask Andrew to leave his official residence, the Royal Lodge, to move to the former royal residence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Frogmore Cottage. And if the sovereign does push her little brother out, it will be to accommodate her eldest son William, Kate and their three children. Agreed Point, rumors even suggest that Charles plans to eventually leave the estate to Camilla as his last official dependency should he die. In this case, Wales will restore the stately home of Clarence House near Buckingham Palace.

Financial hole

But the British press mentions other reasons. Among them is the fact that the Royal Lodge has become “grossly out of proportion to accommodate two people who no longer have any official function with the Windsors”. and Prince Andrew, because of his previous ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Estimated at £30 million (over €35 million), the property has a thirty-room country house including seven bedrooms, six staff cottages, a gardener’s outbuilding, swimming pool, tennis court, private. golf course… “Not to mention the particularly heavy security costs estimated at 3 million per year paid by the Crown,” he adds. Point.

Faced with the financial hole presented by the residence of Prince Andrew, now an inactive member of the royal family, Charles III has indicated that he is not prepared to continue to fund his brother’s lifestyle in the Royal Lodge. A royal spring is blowing Times “The King’s kindness is not infinite and Andrew can move into Frogmore Cottage, recently vacated by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which also has the advantage of being within the security of the Windsor Castle cordon, reducing the need for 24. Hourly Alternative Security of the Royal Lodge.’ Only this option does not convince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.

The lease that protects

Moreover, in this battle, Elizabeth II the younger has a striking weapon against Charles; the property’s 75-year lease does not expire until June 15, 2078. Andrew signed it in 2003 with the Crown Estate, which manages the non-private royal estate, for a one-million pound one-off fee.

In return, this lease stipulates that Andrew must “repair, update, maintain, clean and keep in good condition and, if necessary, rebuild,” we learn in the columns. Times. He also has to strip the exterior paint, re-point it and paint the walls with “two coats of paint” every five years since 2008. While inside, he is required to “paint at least two coats of paint and wallpaper, polishing.” Every seven years starting in 2010, decorate and otherwise treat the interior walls. So since moving in in 2004, Andrew would have spent no less than £7.5 million renovating the property.

However, Charles III is determined to force him to bend. In particular, he could decide to reduce the annual allowance or take legal action against him. However, a fratricidal war brought before the courts could damage the image of the Windsors. Which is not at all desirable for the monarchy. “The last resort, the most sensible, is to negotiate amicably, find another site for Andrew and fully reimburse him for the money he paid to renovate the premises from his personal cash register,” said Mark Furney. Point. Suffice it to say, Andrew isn’t done being a thorn in Charles’ side.

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