03 June 2024 , 11:43
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Prince Andrew has been spotted breaking cover amid reports King Charles is threatening to completely cut ties with him.
The disgraced Duke of York was seen looking tense while out on a horse ride near his Windsor home earlier today. Wearing a burgundy shirt, he was joined by a companion as they exercised their horses just days after reports the monarch is urging his disgraced brother once again to leave his 30-room Royal Lodge home.
The Duke of York, 64, is understood to have a long lease on the Royal Lodge. But the King is ultimately responsible for all of the royal household's finances, and so could choose to restrict funds from him - meaning he could soon struggle to meet the extortionate annual upkeep costs of the Grade II-listed property.
Andrew is reportedly being told he has to give up his home of Royal Lodge (© Jim Bennett)
Andrew on his horse ride today (© Jim Bennett)King Charles also currently funds Andrew's security bill, which costs £3million a year. Andrew's persistent refusal to take up the new property after previous requests is reported to have frustrated Charles.
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A royal source told The Times: "The King's kindness is not without limit and there is a very good option for Andrew to move into Frogmore Cottage, recently vacated by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which also has the benefit of being within the Windsor Castle security cordon hence reducing the need for alternative round-the-clock security for Royal Lodge." The source added that Andrew is "taking longer than desirable" to "recognise the reality of the situation".
Andrew is often spotted riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle (© Jim Bennett)But Andrew so far shows no sign of budging. One acquaintance of the Duke of York told the newspaper that he is likely to "dig in" if the stand-off continues and that he had already enjoyed a "stay of execution" in light of Sarah Ferguson and the King's own recent illnesses.
Royal Lodge, once home to the Queen Mother, is a 19th-century Grade II-listed property with a pool and 90 acres of land. Andrew signed a 75-year lease for the house back in 2003 and lives there with his ex-wife Fergie, but reports began to circulate in early 2023 that Charles was keen for his brother to move out and move into Frogmore Cottage, which has been recently renovated.
Meanwhile, photos have also emerged of the state of the property, capturing its tired and crumbling walls. Moss is seen on the structure and the paint is peeling away. Scaffolding has been seen at the front of the property, where a skip full of rubble was also spotted.
Andrew was forced to step down from royal duties amid the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. He quit public life in November 2019, admitting it had "become clear [that] my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family's work." The latest opinion poll revealed Prince Andrew to be the least popular member of the royal family by far. The YouGov survey showed the duke was popular with only 9 per cent of people, while 76 per cent said they disliked him.