In occasions of outdated, a king might need banished rebellious relations — and even chopped off their heads.
But it’s 2023, and King Charles has merely been left “tired and furious” by the persevering with disobedience of his household, sources instructed Page Six.
What ought to be a time of reflection and pleasure for Charles as he prepares for his May 6 coronation alongside his queen, Camilla, is being marred by the behaviour of not only one however two “spares.”
While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are nonetheless negotiating their attendance on the massive day (regardless of the RSVP date of April 2 having already handed), Charles, 74, and his youthful brother Prince Andrew are combating over actual property.
Andrew — who was pressured out of royal duties after settling a sex-abuse case with Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre in 2022 — was second to the throne till Princess Diana gave start to Charles’s eldest son, Prince William.
Now, the one-time “spare” is refusing to bow to calls for to maneuver out of his palatial $55 million dwelling, Royal Lodge in Windsor, regardless of the calls for of the brand new monarch.
In an effort to persuade him to maneuver, Andrew has even been given the keys to Frogmore Cottage — the five-bedroom home from which the King lately evicted Harry and Meghan. (They are supposed to be transferring out after the coronation.)
But to this point, Andrew, 63, is standing agency and refusing to go away the a lot grander dwelling he has lived in since 2003.
“Andrew doesn’t want to leave because the property is seen as a symbol of senior royalty — an important property in the family’s portfolio,” mentioned a royal supply.
“But William, who is the heir to the throne, has his eye on it.”
William, Kate and their kids, George, Charlotte and Louis, solely moved to Adelaide Cottage, close to Andrew’s Royal Lodge, lower than a yr in the past.
But with simply 4 bedrooms, it’s already mentioned to really feel too small, notably as William wants extra workplace house to go together with his rising function.
“The cottage they live in once belonged to people who worked for the royals – such as Group Captain Peter Townsend, who had a romance with Princess Margaret and who described it as an ‘ice box’ — and is very cramped,” mentioned royal commentator Joshua Rom.
“It makes a lot more sense for William to have this house to reflect his new role particularly as Andrew is no longer a ‘working royal’ and therefore doesn’t need an office or to entertain dignitaries.”
Insiders say all of the wrangling has “infuriated” the King at a time when he must give attention to the Coronation.
“Relations between the king and his brother have never been this bad,” a supply mentioned.
“It has turned into a real battle which he never expected and it’s left him tired and infuriated.”
Nigel Hawthorne, creator of Prince Andrew: Epstein, Maxwell and the Palace, who’s presently writing a ebook on the connection between Charles and Andrew, provides: “Their relationship has never been easy and they have always been in competition with each other. While Charles’ navy career was little more than captain of some antiquated minesweeper, Andrew fought in the Falklands War and came back a war hero.
“But the problem with being the spare is that every time there is a new birth you slip down the rankings and [Andrew] has been completely eclipsed. Charles is King and holds all the power.”
Despite the issues of their relationship, Andrew was given a first-rate place, standing simply behind King Charles and the Queen Consort Camilla, on Sunday’s household stroll to an Easter service.
The stroll to church was the largest exhibiting of senior royals this yr and Andrew stood beside his sister Princess Anne, the Princess Royal.
As former BBC correspondent Peter Hunt tweeted after: “Nothing happens by chance with the royals.”
“This is the King saying that he is there for Andrew in a personal capacity and a big show of family unity ahead of the coronation,” Rom added of the general public stroll.
“This is the King showing strength with the backing of his siblings — but it is unlikely it will mean anything new for Andrew. This was not an official engagement; he is still disgraced and unlikely to have a role at the Coronation.”
Charles desires to be seen because the frugal king at a time when the UK goes by a ‘so-called “cost of living crisis” amid rising inflation. As part of that, he reportedly wants a “slimmed down” royal family which does not include funding his disgraced brother to the tune of millions of dollars every year.
The 30-bedroom Royal Lodge — which, like Frogmore and Adelaide Cottages are all in the protected zone of the Great Windsor Estate surrounding Windsor Castle — is a prime property with its own swimming pool and tennis court.
But while Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson, the Duchess of York, nonetheless has her personal wing, the couple’s two married daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, have moved out.
Andrew signed a 75-year lease on the Lodge following the dying of his grandmother, the Queen Mother, who lived there earlier than him and spent a number of hundreds of thousands doing it up.
But in some methods, Charles was given cause to evict him lately when there have been current press studies of Andrew complaining to mates that Queen Elizabeth had left all her cash to Charles for tax functions — that means he couldn’t afford the cash to renovate Royal Lodge, which has roof and mold issues.
If Andrew can’t afford to take care of the property, the King, as its proprietor, has an excuse to throw him out.
“While I don’t think we will see Charles calling the bailiffs in, he can turn the screws more on Andrew by cutting off his money even more,” Hawthorne mentioned.
“Andrew has very little money of his own — which is partly why he depends on his rich businessmen friends to fund him. If he can’t afford the maintenance on a large place like Royal Lodge, he may begin to see that he will have no choice but to move.”
This article initially appeared on Page Six and was reproduced with permission
Source: www.news.com.au
