Queen Elizabeth ‘remained incredibly close’ to Prince Andrew ‘right up until her death,’ royal author claims
Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair's royal correspondent and author of "The New Royals," spoke to Fox News Digital about the late monarch's close relationship with the Duke of York during the months leading up to her death.
Prince Andrew is reportedly refusing to give up his lavish Royal Lodge home, which is said to be "crumbling" as he struggles to maintain its costly upkeep.
Royal Lodge has been spotted with white paint chipping away from its walls, dirt marks straining the facade and cracks in the brickwork. The U.K.'s DailyMail reported that the British royal, who has lived in the property for two decades, is unable to afford its £400,000 yearly ($511,472) upkeep costs.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace didn’t respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Prince Andrew is holding on to his lavish Royal Lodge home. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
In 2019, the now-64-year-old announced he was stepping back from royal duties because his scandal involving late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had become a "major disruption" to the family.
Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," told Fox News Digital the father of two will likely reach out to his closest confidants for any aid they can provide during troubled times.
Royal Lodge, once the home of the Queen Mother, is in need of £3M worth of refurbishment. (MEGA)
"Andrew’s holding on by his fingertips right now, perhaps hoping that one of his wealthy friends might kick in some funds," said Andersen. "But it’s highly doubtful that would work. King Charles III is becoming increasingly impatient and wants to simultaneously punish his brother, show everyone who’s boss and restore Royal Lodge to its former glory."
Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," told Fox News Digital that King Charles III wants to restore Royal Lodge to "its former glory." (MEGA)
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich agreed, telling Fox News Digital that time is running out for Andrew.
King Charles III reportedly wants his younger brother to downsize. (Mark Cuthbert)
"Prince Andrew is now a prisoner of his own pride, facing brinkmanship regarding Royal Lodge with his brother," Fordwich claimed. "King Charles III will eventually prevail despite … Prince Andrew’s lease."
Royal Lodge is known as a lavish country mansion. (MEGA)
"He has never enjoyed a close relationship with his brother King Charles III for numerous reasons," said Fordwich. "Not the least of which is their totally different characteristics, but also their age difference and the affection, as well as the attention, their late mother Queen Elizabeth II bestowed upon Andrew. But recently, due to the embarrassment Andrew caused his family, as well as his nation, and the strain upon their late mother."
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Royal Lodge needs roof repairs and re-rendering where most of the plaster work has blown away due to dampness. (MEGA)
Us Weekly previously reported that Royal Lodge has dampness issues as well as "wear and tear" that is ravaging the building. It noted that "cracks are becoming worse on the brickwork" and there is peeling paint along with plaster falling off.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020. (Karwai Tang/Getty Images)
The outlet reported that the king demanded his younger sibling vacate the 90-acre home and instead move to the smaller Frogmore Cottage, the former U.K. home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Frogmore Cottage was the former U.K. home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (GOR/Getty Images)
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex previously confirmed the couple had been asked to vacate that property. It was their main residence before they gave up royal duties and moved to California in 2020.
However, reports said Andrew thought the move would be too much of a downgrade.
Royal Lodge reportedly hasn't experienced any maintenance in years. (MEGA)
Andersen said the king attempted to persuade Andrew to move into Frogmore, a more manageable five-bedroom property, but Andrew is adamant about staying at Royal Lodge.
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The home’s rich history is one that the king is determined to protect.
Royal Lodge circa 1942 (Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
"Royal Lodge holds treasured memories for the royal family, largely because it was the official Windsor residence of the beloved Queen Mother, who died there in 2002 at the age of 101," Andersen said. "When he moved in two years later, Andrew agreed to spend roughly $10 million out of his own pocket to refurbish it. … The place looks pretty shabby, and that is likely to make King Charles angry."
The Queen Mother at Royal Lodge circa 1954. (Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
"Andrew simply doesn’t have the funds to do what needs to be done to the property, and if Charles reduces or cuts off Andrew’s allowance … Andrew simply won’t be able to afford any of the upkeep," Andersen continued.
King Charles III takes great pride in the royal family's historical properties. (MEGA)
"Royal Lodge is of tremendous historical importance. And the king is famously obsessed with preserving Britain’s classic architecture. That really can’t be accomplished with Andrew hanging on in there. It’s nice that [his daughter] Princess Beatrice is pitching in, but it’s doubtful she can make a huge difference."
The council in the northern city of York voted unanimously to withdraw the prince’s "freedom of the city." The honor had been awarded to Andrew in 1987 after the queen made him the Duke of York. He is the first person to be stripped of the status, an honor that dates back to medieval times. (Steve Parsons/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that the king promised his mother he would look after his brother before her death. The queen, England’s longest-reigning monarch, died in 2022 at age 96. It has long been believed that Andrew was her favorite child.
Queen Elizabeth II is seen attending the Royal Ascot with her son, Prince Andrew, in 2017. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
"[A] frustrated King Charles has no choice but to ramp up the pressure with the hope that Prince Andrew will come to his senses and move out of Royal Lodge," said Chard. "King Charles promised his late mother that he would always look after his brother, but he realizes that Andrew is refusing to recognize the reality of his situation. … The optics of the pampered prince falling from grace and living in a vast estate which he cannot afford to maintain is negative and damaging to the royal family."
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King Charles III, right, seen here with Prince Andrew, became monarch upon his mother's death in 2022. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Chard said the king, who is responsible for all the royal household finances, is threatening to cut all ties with his brother, that the king’s kindness is "running dry."
It appears that Prince Andrew may have started refurbishment work on Royal Lodge, as evidenced by scaffolding at the front of the property where a dumpster can be seen loaded with rubble. (MEGA)
"Maybe it’s the only way to force Andrew out of the property," Chard added.
"Prince Andrew has been described as a prisoner of pride as he sits all day allegedly watching television at his crumbling home," royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. "There are a large amount of repairs required … King Charles cannot be seen spending money on his disgraced brother … there might be a public outcry if he did so."
Several royal experts have wondered how long King Charles III will let Prince Andrew live at Royal Lodge. (MEGA)
"The disgraced prince … refuses to move, so a second set of battle royal lines are being set to see who will blink first," said Pelham Turner.
In 2022, a U.S. judge dismissed the sex abuse lawsuit against Andrew, who reached a settlement with Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre. The prince made a substantial donation to his accuser’s charity and declared that he had never meant to malign her character.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, holding a photo of herself as a teen, alleged she was abused by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Prince Andrew, among others. (Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Andrew has denied that he had sex with Giuffre.
Epstein was found dead behind bars in 2019 at age 66. The U.S. attorney in Manhattan prosecuted Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, for helping recruit his underage victims. She was convicted in 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison term.
Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier and convicted sex offender, was found dead in 2019. (Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Images)
Andrew has retained his title as the Duke of York and maintains his place in the line of succession to the British throne. However, he may not use the title of HRH or "His Royal Highness" in any capacity.
It was previously reported that Andrew’s annual allowance of nearly $300,000 was being cut in 2023. His main source of income was his navy pension and a "substantial inheritance" from his late parents, U.K. outlets revealed at the time. (Getty Images)
In a lawsuit filed in 2020, Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually exploiting her on three occasions in 2001 when she was 17. Though Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, he agreed to an out-of-court settlement paid to the American woman in February 2022.
Prince Andrew reportedly lives in Royal Lodge with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
The settlement amount was reported to be anywhere between $3.6 million to $14.8 million.
Andrew was named in previously secret court documents related to Epstein that were unsealed in the new year. It was part of a 2015 lawsuit filed against Maxwell by Giuffre.
Royal Lodge's future remains unknown. (MEGA)
The records – including transcripts of interviews with some of Epstein’s victims and old police reports – contained reminders that the millionaire had surrounded himself with famous and powerful figures, including a few who have also been accused of misconduct.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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