Prince Andrew, Duke of York attends a commemoration service at Manchester Cathedral marking the 100th anniversary since the start of the Battle of the Somme, on July 1, 2016 in Manchester, England. Photo / Christopher Furlong - WPA Pool / Getty Images
Prince Andrew, Duke of York attends a commemoration service at Manchester Cathedral marking the 100th anniversary since the start of the Battle of the Somme, on July 1, 2016 in Manchester, England. Photo / Christopher Furlong - WPA Pool / Getty Images
The disgraced royal may end up in a home rented to tourists amid the ongoing property battle.
A cottage rented out to tourists on Airbnb could potentially be the new home of Prince Andrew as the disgraced Duke faces continued pressure to leave his long-time residence, the Royal Lodge.
The King has been privately paying for his younger brother’s security at Royal Lodge after Andrew lost his police protection in 2022, according to reports. Andrew was stripped of his military titles and patronages amid a since-settled civil sexual assault lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre.
However, the Sun on Sunday reported earlier this week Charles, 75, has now withdrawn funding - an estimated £3 million ($6.3m) a year - ahead of the security team’s contract expiring in October.
It’s understood a replacement security detail for Andrew has not been lined up, according to the Sun on Sunday and the Times.
It comes amid reports Charles wants a reluctant Andrew to vacate the 31-room Windsor Great Park residence, which he currently shares with ex-wife Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson - whom he has been divorced from since 1996.
Amid talk that Andrew and Ferguson could be forced to leave the property, local media have been speculating on where else the former couple might reside. The Daily Mail noted Prince William and Kate Middleton’s former Kensington Palace apartment is currently available after they opted for Windsor’s Adelaide Cottage last year.
The outlet also postulated St James Palace could be an option, given Andrew’s daughter Beatrice previously lived in an apartment there. Another guess was the Garden House, a cottage on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk that has been listed to rent on Airbnb.
The Garden House, described as a “charming hideaway owned by HM The King” and the “closest” property on the estate to Sandringham House itself, had been available to rent on Airbnb for between £237 and £354 ($500-$750) per night.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend a Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee at St Paul's Cathedral on June 5, 2012 in London, England. Photo / Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images
Prince Andrew currently holds a 75-year lease on the Royal Lodge, granted by his mother in 2003. The terms of the agreement mean Andrew can live in the residence on the basis that he “repairs, renews, upholds, cleans and keeps in repair and where necessary rebuilds” the sprawling property, which is believed to be worth upwards of £30m (NZ$60m).
However, British media revealed last year Andrew was said to be struggling to afford upkeep of the lodge - maintenance which is estimated to cost around £400,000 annually.
As per the Daily Mail, the predicament means unless Andrew can uphold his side of the agreement and pay for the property’s reportedly extensive repairs - and foot the bill for his own security - he and his home will be unprotected come October.
It’s understood the preference is for Andrew to relocate to the nearby Frogmore Cottage. The former home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the cottage would automatically be protected as it falls within the secured grounds around Windsor Castle, as per the Times.
The Garden House property on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. Photo / Airbnb
“If [Andrew] doesn’t agree to move to a property better suited to his needs, then the King may have to reconsider the levels of support he is willing to provide,” a source previously told the outlet.
It was announced shortly after Charles’ coronation he had readjusted Andrew’s annual allowance to £249,000 ($500,000). As the Duke relies on the allowance to afford for his day-to-day lifestyle, the change effectively priced him out of the running costs of the lodge.
