Prince Andrew is facing a new royal blow as King Charles III has opted not to renew a private security contract protecting his home, Royal Lodge, which was implemented by their mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Andrew lives at the lodge, which sits within Windsor Great Park, Berkshire, England, but outside of the official police protection ring surrounding Windsor Castle, with his ex-wife, Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson.
The prince purchased a 75-year lease of the property after it was left vacant following the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, in 2002. The property is not a "grace and favor" residence, which is one given at the discretion of the monarch, but is privately rented from the Crown Estate.
In 2023, a biography of the new King Charles said that Royal Lodge was not automatically covered by police protection by virtue of sitting inside the secure perimeter of Windsor Castle. The book added that it required a privately funded security operation, the cost of which was met by Elizabeth.
Now, The Sun on Sunday newspaper in the U.K. reports that Charles has opted not to renew the contract with the security firm that organizes this protection, as he remains in a reported stalemate with Andrew over a desire that the prince should move into a smaller property within the already secured castle grounds.
When approached by Newsweek, Buckingham Palace said it would not comment on security matters.
Since Andrew stepped down from his royal roles in 2019 following a BBC Newsnight interview, in which he failed to justify his association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, he has retreated to life at Royal Lodge. The prince is often photographed riding in Windsor Great Park or driving on the estate.
The prince was stripped of his patronages and royal roles in 2022 amid a lawsuit filed by an Epstein victim, Virginia Giuffre, who said that she was forced to have sexual relations with Andrew when she was just 17.
The prince has always maintained a strong denial of these allegations, and in February 2022, Giuffre's lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Since the settlement of the lawsuit, it has been said that Andrew may return to a public role, but this has been repeatedly criticized in the media and online. When the prince accompanied Elizabeth to the national memorial of her husband Prince Philip's death in 2022, it brought backlash not just against Andrew but also against the queen herself.
Since Elizabeth's death in September 2022, Charles is said to want his brother to downsize his residence from Royal Lodge to Frogmore Cottage. This is the property within Windsor Castle's protected security ring that was formerly the home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The couple were asked to vacate the property in 2023, and it has remained vacant ever since.
The reported new development over the fate of Royal Lodge's private security arrangements pushes Andrew closer toward a decision about his future residency at the property.
Discussing the report, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Newsweek that Andrew is now likely to face footing the expensive security bill himself or moving. However, nothing is settled.
"There is no question that this is desirable," Fitzwilliams said of a potential move. "Andrew, no longer carrying out royal duties, occupying a 30-room mansion under a 75-year lease with a £260,000-a-year rent [$336,000 a year], is clearly disproportionate.
"It would make perfect sense if he downsized to Frogmore Cottage, which was vacated by the Sussexes after they were evicted after the publication of Harry's memoir Spare.
"However, the handling of this is all important," Fitzwilliams continued. "He has a 75-year lease at a token rent. If he were to be evicted, he would be compensated for the money he has spent on renovations since he moved in 2004. It has been reported that he hopes to leave the property to his daughters, and so this would involve Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, who have good relations with the Sussexes.
"Since Sarah Ferguson, his ex-wife, with whom he remains close, moved in in 2008, the question remains as to whether she could help him raise the money to meet their security needs and the necessary repairs under the lease.
"A move is desirable," Fitzwilliams said. "But, until we know it is agreed, it is not certain."
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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