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Privacy NoticePrince Andrew has reportedly been offered a downgrade on his home by the King. The Duke is taking a step back from luxury as he prepares to swap his opulent 31-room Royal Lodge for the much more modest Craigowan cottage on the Balmoral estate. Rumours suggest that the Duke might have to leave Windsor following rumours that the King is asking him to move to a new residence. A family insider shared with the Express their hopes for the Duke’s summer plans: “Andrew has hardly left Royal Lodge since Christmas so he’s very much looking forward to getting away with the rest of the family at Balmoral.” The source also expressed concern over the Duke’s wellbeing, saying: “He’s turned into a bit of a recluse, so the girls (Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie) are hoping that some nice family time will help cheer him up a bit and bring him out of his shell.” It was previously reported that Andrew might be forced to vacate his Windsor residence by October as his private security had been axed. The King is said to have dismissed the 10-man team in an attempt to pressure the Duke of York into leaving his Royal Lodge home, reports the Daily Record. Charles has been financing private guards at the Windsor property since Andrew’s armed police were withdrawn in 2022. A Palace source revealed: “It isn’t a secret the King wants him out.”
Prince Andrew and King Charles
(Image: Getty)
The insider informed the Sun: “Everyone is speculating this means the Duke will have to leave the Royal Lodge because what other reason could there be to take his security away? They are all working the final weeks of their contract till the end of October. It’s not thought anyone is being lined up to replace them.” Earlier reports suggested that Prince William and Kate might be offered the Royal residence as a family home for their three children. However, experts have observed that the couple currently appear to be very content and settled at their present residence, Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park. Adelaide Cottage has been established as a family house and there are no live-in staff. Moving into the expansive Royal Lodge would necessitate accommodating domestic staff, something William and Kate are reported to have resisted. Andrew’s private security has been privately funded by Charles after he lost publicly-funded police protection in 2022 amid allegations of sexual assault. But members of the security detail have been told their services will not be needed from November, according to the Sun on Sunday. Earlier in the year, it emerged that Prince Andrew turned down a suggestion to exchange Royal Lodge for Frogmore Cottage despite having a 75-year lease on the former since 2003. In January, stories circulated that Andrew was expected to shoulder the hefty security bill for Royal Lodge if he opted to reside in the expansive 30-room manor set in Windsor Great Park. Pressure has mounted on the disgraced Prince following the unsealing of hundreds of pages of court documents connected to the Jeffrey Epstein case. The legal papers detailed how Epstein’s former housekeeper Juan Alessi claimed the duke had daily massages when he spent “weeks” at the paedophile financier’s Florida home. Alessi, a former staff member at Epstein’s Palm Beach home, recounted how both the Duke and his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, maintained friendships with Epstein and convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell. Amidst this, past claims resurfaced within the legal files, alleging that Andrew sexually abused Virginia Giuffre thrice when she was 17 years old, including once in the midst of an orgy. Andrew has vehemently denied the allegations and in 2022, he paid a hefty sum to Ms Giuffre to settle a civil case out of court, insisting that he never met her. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that no new investigation has been launched.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterMore OnPrince AndrewPrince WilliamChristmas
