The ongoing dispute between Prince Andrew and King Charles over the Royal Lodge doesn’t seem to be easing up. Reports have consistently suggested that King Charles wants his scandal-hit brother to vacate the expansive 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park for the more modest Frogmore Cottage.
Despite his scaled-back lifestyle, it appears he has the backing of two pivotal Royal Family members—his daughters. Hello! magazine reports that Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie are showing their concern by alternating weekends with him, bringing along their little ones. Andrew has been spotted giving pony rides to Beatrice’s three year old Sienna on the estate grounds. A source shared with the publication, “The girls take the grandchildren to visit him most weekends. They are spending far more time with him now than they have done in recent years. They are quite close to their father; they seem to be quite protective towards him.”, reports the Mirror.
As Christmas approaches, a Royal author has suggested that Charles faces a significant decision about Andrew – will he be permitted to join the other royals in their walk to church at Sandringham on Christmas morning? For the past two years, Andrew has been allowed to publicly accompany the King, Queen Camilla, his daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and last year, his ex-wife, Sarah. The Times suggests that if Andrew is included this year, it would indicate that Charles hasn’t entirely ostracised him.
However, Royal writer Stephen Bates believes this doesn’t signify a complete reconciliation between the brothers, stating: “Charles has a clear sense of the damage Andrew has done to the institution of monarchy.” Since 2004, Andrew has resided at Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate, which he now shares with his former wife Sarah Ferguson. Royal Lodge has a history dating back to the mid-17th Century, but it wasn’t until the mid-1930s that it welcomed its first Royal residents.
In 1931, it was gifted to George VI and the Queen Mother – then known as the Duke and Duchess of York – as a weekend retreat. After the Queen Mother passed away, Prince Andrew was given a lease to Royal Lodge. This included not just the main house, but also the Gardener’s Cottage, the Chapel Lodge, six Lodge Cottages, police security accommodation and an impressive 40 hectares of land.
