Prince Andrew is in ‘advanced talks’ to give up his home at Royal Lodge as controversy over his residence there continues to grow.
The prince, who last week gave up his royal titles including Duke of York, is reported to be talking with representatives of The King to move out of the 30 room lodge where he has lived for 22 years.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the last week has seen Andrew speaking daily to King Charles’ staff about voluntarily quitting his home after it was revealed that he doesn’t pay rent. Instead, he leases the property on a peppercorn basis, paying no monetary rent but instead taking on responsibility for its upkeep.
His ability to pay rent came under scrutiny last year when King Charles cut Andrew off financially.
The paper says the prince is still reluctant to move but the talks are continuing.
It comes as rumours circulated online, late on October 23, that Andrew was on the brink of physically quitting the home on the Windsor estate.
However, the understanding is that talks about his possibly voluntary move remain ongoing.
Prince Andrew took the now infamous lease on Royal Lodge in 2003, a year after his grandmother, The Queen Mother, died at the property which had been one of her main homes for the last part of her life.
Andrew has since lived there with his former wife, Sarah Ferguson.
The property is a grand royal residence with extensive grounds.
It’s been mooted that Prince Andrew might be offered accommodation in a smaller property on the Windsor estate or a grace and favour apartment at another royal residence with Balmoral suggested as a possibility.
