Prince Andrew may not be moving into Frogmore Cottage after all.
After Charles became King last year, he reportedly offered his brother the property. However, a plan for Andrew to move from the colossal Royal Lodge into the more modest home has been “quietly shelved” while his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson recovers from breast cancer surgery, The Independent reported citing The Mail.
Ferguson endured an eight-hour mastectomy and has been recovering from the major operation while at the 30-room property with Andrew, The Independent reported. They are living together, despite the pair having divorced in 1996. Both the Royal Lodge and Frogmore are located on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Back in 2003, Prince Andrew signed a 75-year lease on the £30 million ($38 million) property, which he is believed to have intended to continue to honor. However, he stepped down as a working royal over his highly publicized links to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The newspaper reported that the Duke of York previously refused to leave the Royal Lodge while it undergoes maintenance work because he fears he will be evicted before he returns.
Earlier this year, The Mail reported that the king has reduced Andrew’s annual £250,000 ($310,000) allowance, according to Insider. This might create a de facto eviction, as it would make maintaining the historic mansion a financial impossibility. The report also quoted an unnamed friend of Andrew as saying that he’s worried the royal family might turn off utilities to the Royal Lodge in an effort to get the prince to vacate the property. “He’s concerned that now the coronation is over, the knives are out,” the friend reportedly added.
Recently, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have completely moved out of Frogmore after the king reportedly asked them to remove their belongings from the property. Following the announcement, when asked who might live in Frogmore next, a palace official said: “I have nothing to add.”
Plans for Prince Andrew to Move Into Frogmore Cottage Have Been ‘Quietly Shelved’ Plans for Prince Andrew to Move Into Frogmore Cottage Have Been ‘Quietly Shelved’