King Charles draws up 'range of options' to deal with disgraced brother Andrew
The King is drawing up a “range of options” to placate his disgraced brother Prince Andrew after insisting he must leave his grace-and-favour Royal Lodge mansion.
The monarch will tempt the Duke of York with houses across the royal portfolio after it emerged one option presented to him includes Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Frogmore Cottage home on the same Windsor estate.
His Majesty has taken the extraordinary step to ask the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to vacate their UK base for good, following the publication of Harry’s explosive memoir.
Royal sources have confirmed relations between the King and his youngest son at “at an all time low”, leaving Charles furious after Harry railed against members of the family labelling the Queen Consort Camilla a “villain”.
Charles is understood to have told Harry and Meghan he wanted them out to “allow someone else to move in”.
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Prince Andrew leaving Royal Lodge to go for a morning riding in Windsor on February 20 (Jim Bennett/REX/Shutterstock)A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan has tonight confirmed that the couple have been asked "to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage".
Meanwhile, a friend of the Sussexes today told their biographer Omid Scobie: “It all feels very final and like a cruel punishment.
“It’s like [the family] want to cut them out of the picture for good.”
The King has warned members of his family to tighten their belts after slashing royal budgets from next month, including Prince Andrew’s previous annual allowance of £249,000.
But the bullish Duke of York is set on defying his brother after vowing he is “going nowhere” and sources close to him suggesting he will “dig his heels in‘’ over any attempt to force him out of his home.
Royal Lodge in Windsor (Roland Hoskins/ANL/REX/Shutterstock)Palace insiders said Andrew, 63, is “holding out” for a role from the King after suggesting he could “help out” by running one of the royal estates.
However, a well placed source said: “The King and the Duke (of York) have vastly different ideas of where he (Andrew) should base himself both geographically as well as his involvement in family affairs.”
The King is of the view that Andrew will not be able to afford the upkeep on his 30 bed mansion on the Windsor estate that he shares with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
Andrew has in contrast told the monarch he will not leave and is financially secure owing to his inheritance from the late Queen’s estate and money coming in from a 22 book deal his former wife Fergie signed last year.
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Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan are understood to be “furious” the King has effectively “evicted” them from their UK base in order to house Andrew, who remains out of the spotlight after last year paying off his sex abuse accuser £12million.
Harry and Meghan were gifted Frogmore Cottage by the late Queen after their wedding and spent £2.4million on renovations and a rental agreement which has not ended.
The move from the King has reportedly left Harry and Meghan “stunned” and at least two members of the royal family “appalled”.
Royal biographer and editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine Ingrid Seward, said Charles is “well aware” having empty properties scattered around the country is “not a good look in these hard times”.
Prince Andrew with Charles attending the Order of the Garter Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in June 2015 (Getty Images)She told the Mirror: “Charles will always love his son but King Charles has been warned he needs to make extensive savings and this is just the beginning.”
Harry is still engaged in an ongoing legal dispute with the Home Office, that has already cost taxpayers in excess of £300,000, over its decision to withdraw his security detail.
They are understood to view the cottage as “the only place left that’s safe” for them and their children in the UK, not least given the ongoing row between Prince Harry and the Home Office over its decision to withdraw his security detail.
Friends of the Sussexes suggested the latest row could “make Harry’s mind up” over whether he would attend the King’s coronation in May.
One said: “Of course there’s a question over whether Harry and Meghan will go, but they are still undecided.”
A palace source said any discussions over accommodations between the individuals would be a private family matter, while it was previously reported that the King would not leave his brother “homeless or penniless”.
Buckingham Palace did not comment.
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