Prince Andrew refusing to move out of Royal Lodge over fears he'll 'never get back in'

The Duke of York has reportedly rejected advice to leave the Royal Lodge while its roof is being repaired later this summer

Prince Andrew refusing to leave Royal Lodge in case 'he might never get back in'
(Image credit: Getty)

Prince Andrew is refusing to vacate the Royal Lodge over fears he may not be able to return, according to an inside source. 


Prince Andrew has rejected advice to leave the Royal Lodge during its upcoming restoration, a royal insider has revealed. 

The Duke of York is reportedly afraid he 'might never get back' into the Grade II listed house in Windsor, where has lived for nearly two decades, if he vacates it for repairs to be done on its roof. 

The news comes shortly after it was speculated that King Charles III and Prince Andrew are involved in a 'brotherly feud', with the monarch apparently desperate to evict his younger sibling from the Lodge. It's also been reported that His Majesty wishes for the Prince and Princess of Wales, who live have lived in Adelaide Cottage with their three children since last summer, to move into the property instead. 

Prince Andrew's security could soon be funded by King Charles

(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

"It's become farcical," the source told the Mail Online. "Andrew has roof repairs scheduled later this summer which will take several months to complete and has been advised that staying in the house during those renovations could prove problematic. But he is reluctant to leave." 

: The Country Home of the Royal Family', 1937. A Grade II listed house in Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, England, known as the Royal Lodge since the late 1820s. From "George VI, King and Emperor", by Major J. T. Gorman [W. & G. Foyle Ltd., London, 1937]. Artist Unknown.

The Royal Lodge 

(Image credit: The Print Collector/Getty Images)

Prince Andrew has resided at the 30-bedroom mansion since 2004, after previously living in Sunninghill Park. In 2008, he was joined at the Royal Lodge by his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. 

It's understood that the King wishes to move Prince Andrew out of the £30 million home but has been unable to do so because of the lease. 

"The lease is in the duke's name so no one can take that away from him," a source close to the disgraced royal told The Times. "It has never been suggested that it could be taken away from him. It's a long lease with 80 to 90 years left on it." 

“This is a lease between him and the Crown Estate. That's not a matter for the King. It's a matter for the chancellor of the exchequer. The only way you could get him to move out would be through an arrangement, he would have to agree.”

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.