After years of dragging the royal family’s good name into unprecedented disrepute, Prince Andrew is on his last legs.
Despite accusations of sexual abuse towards a teenage girl in the 2000s and settling with her out of court using the Queen’s money last year, the Duke of York has managed to grimly cling to a life of luxury afforded to him by the Crown.
Many courtiers agree that it was only his late mother’s love for Andrew, 63 –commonly accepted to have been her favourite child – that kept him ensconced in a royal home with a handsome allowance and police protection worth $5.3 million a year.
But now, there’s a new monarch on the block!
Andrew is scared.
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YORKS KICKED OUT
King Charles, who has inherited all royal property including Windsor Castle and its surrounding estate, is reportedly considering removing his younger brother from the $53 million Royal Lodge, where he lives with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York – despite Andrew signing a 75-year lease on the property in 2003.
He is paid $423,000 annually by private funds from the Duchy of Lancaster – the monarch’s private estate – which largely goes towards his 30-room mansion’s upkeep.
According to The Times, Andrew has told friends he fears he may lose his allowance by September, as Charles, 74, shakes up the Duchy of Lancaster’s spending, which will render him unable to pay for the Royal Lodge.
Andrew was believed to be the Queen’s favourite.
(Image: Getty)“He may have to move out,” the newspaper states. “[It will] make it difficult for Andrew to afford the expenses associated with maintaining the home.”
Woman’s Day is told that last week Andrew was summoned to Windsor Castle by the King, who “told him in no uncertain terms to start making plans for his future”. An additional source reveals Charles always thought the Queen gave Andrew way too much leeway despite his horrible reputation, which has dragged them all down.
“The King has been itching to rid himself of Andrew for years and now he finally gets that chance,” says the insider.
“The public have been calling for Andrew to be cut out, and Charles wants to heed that. Brother or not, he feels Andrew does not deserve to be a drain on the royal purse.”
UK reports suggest Andrew is readying himself for exile, with some insiders suggesting he may even follow in the footsteps of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, by fleeing to the US.
The Sun claims he is “keeping an eye” on his nephew and godson Harry’s commercial deals in America, and is hoping to “forge a new career without his titles” Stateside.
“The Sussexes have managed to set up a new working life away from the royal family and that is something Andrew has been following very closely. He is interested in the business and charity side of things,” says the newspaper’s source.
Our insider adds, “It’s no surprise Andrew is looking overseas for a new life. His reputation in Britain is in tatters, so it’s hard to see him getting many paid gigs – something he’d have needed if he had any hope of being able to stay in the Royal Lodge.”
