Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson intend to move out of the Royal Lodge in exchange for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s former British home.
Andrew is considering moving to Frogmore Cottage after news surfaced that the disgraced former Duke of York has not paid the rent on his Windsor Estate mansion for 22 years, the Daily Mail reported on Sunday.
King Charles III has already offered the Duke and Duchess of Sussex their former home amid backlash.
Another potential option is Adelaide Cottage, the former home of Prince William and Duchess Kate. The Welsh family recently vacated it for a more upgraded home.
According to the newspaper, Andrew prefers to live near Windsor or near his daughters’ homes in London.
Prince Charles, 76, has reportedly long wanted Prince Andrew, 65, and Princess Ferguson, 66, to move out of the Royal Lodge, with the ruling monarch reportedly wanting them to move into Frogmore. (Harry and Markle lived there from 2019 to 2023.)
Frogmore and Adelaide will reportedly not require new renovations or security enhancements at the expense of taxpayers, as the properties are within the secure boundaries of Windsor Castle.
But the council still does not know how Mr Andrew and Mr Ferguson will be charged rent for their newly earmarked homes.
“No one knows exactly what will become of the palace yet,” a source told The Sun.
Insiders believe a new tenant will move into Royal Lodge to help fund the necessary renovations.
“[Andrew]is realistic and knows the writing is on the wall and that his time at Royal Lodge is over,” the source said, referring to how the exiled royal is struggling to find money to maintain the grounds, even though he doesn’t have to pay rent.
In 2003, the Crown Estate granted Andrew a 75-year lease at Royal Lodge, and a year later, after renovations to the house were completed, Andrew moved into the home with his children.
Despite divorcing in 1996 after 10 years of marriage, Ferguson moved in with Andrew in 2008.
Under the new arrangement, Andrew and Ferguson will move separately into one of two other homes, marking the first time in 20 years that Andrew and Ferguson have lived separately.
“They’ve been under immense stress this year and both need a break. It’s a fresh start for both of them,” the source said.
Under the property’s lease agreement, Andrew paid $1.2 million in insurance premiums to secure the lease and paid an additional $9 million of his own funds for necessary renovations.
Because his out-of-pocket charges exceeded the £5 million threshold set by the Crown Estate, he effectively bought out the annual rent, which is why he has not paid any extra fees for the past 20 years.
The Grade II listed house is spread over three storeys and has 30 rooms, including seven bedrooms and one salon. The approximately 100-acre site also includes a gardener’s cottage, a chapel lodge, six lodge cottages and police accommodation.
Frogmore and Adelaide, on the other hand, are much more modest in size, with the former having five bedrooms and a children’s room, and the latter having four bedrooms.
Andrew and Ferguson infamously lost their royal titles due to their association with Jeffrey Epstein.
“With His Majesty’s consent, I felt I had to go the extra mile. As a result, I no longer intend to use my title or the honor bestowed upon me,” Andrew said in a statement earlier this month.
“As I have stated previously, I strongly deny the charges against me.”
