As the fallout continues from Prince Andrew’s latest round of scandal due to his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced royal is said to be in talks to vacate Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion in Windsor he’s called home since 2003.
Andrew’s apparent decision to give up the residence in spite of his reported “cast-iron” lease doesn’t seem to be without drama on its own. The former Duke of York is reportedly lobbying to trade Royal Lodge, which he has shared with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, for two smaller residences.
While Andrew is reportedly in talks to move to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s former Windsor residence, Frogmore Cottage, he and Ferguson apparently feel the five-bedroom home would be too small to share and she has reportedly expressed interest in moving into Prince William and Kate Middleton’s current home, Adelaide Cottage, after the Wales family moves to Forest Lodge later this year, according to the Mirror.
If reports that Andrew and Ferguson are asking for two properties after leaving Royal Lodge are true, one royal expert believes King Charles should draw a hard line and deny the request.
“I think it would be a serious mistake if the King and the Palace agreed to such a brazen demand,” royal expert and former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror.
Bond questioned if Andrew and Ferguson are “completely deaf to public opinion” in light of the reported request, which she pointed out comes amid “genuine outrage from the public” and even “several prominent members of Parliament” about recent revelations that seem to prove the former Duke and Duchess of York both lied about their friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
“And yet they seem to think they are entitled to not just one, but two, magnificent homes in the extremely royal surroundings of Windsor Great Park, almost in the shadow of the Castle itself,” Bond said of the request, pointing out the grandeur inherent to the location of even the smaller royal properties in question.
“It is an audacious demand—and one that the Palace should outright reject,” Bond continued. “Andrew and Sarah are grown-ups with their own money and resources. They should be made to fend for themselves and not rely on the King and the goodwill of the Crown Estate.”
The King has reportedly been urging his younger brother to move out of Royal Lodge for sometime, and is said to have first offered Frogmore Cottage as a new home for Andrew in January 2023, only to be turned down.
“All of a sudden, Frogmore Cottage—which has been repeatedly rejected by Andrew—has apparently become desirable,” Bond said. “But, with its five bedrooms and £2.4 million makeover (paid for in the end by Harry and Meghan) it’s not enough for the disgraced couple. Sarah, it seems, now wants her own place and has reportedly settled on William and Catherine’s soon-to-be-vacated home, Adelaide Cottage.”
Bond also noted reports that Andrew has been offered “the use of a plush Palace in Abu Dhabi” and suggested that option might be best, concluding that “most people would think that the further away from the U.K. he goes, the better.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.marieclaire.com ’
