Prince Andrew is embroiled in a growing dispute over his future at Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion on the Windsor estate he has called home for over two decades. The disagreement centers on ongoing financial and maintenance issues, as well as a reported ultimatum from his elder brother, King Charles III.
The Duke of York, 64, was granted a 75-year lease on Royal Lodge in 2003 and is believed to have spent over £7.5 million on interior renovations. However, tensions have surfaced over who is responsible for the extensive external repairs the historic property now requires.
According to Daily Mail columnist Ephraim Hardcastle, “It appears that Andrew, who paid upwards of £7.5 million on renovations when given a 75-year lease in 2003, has maintained the interior, but there is a rumbling dispute about who is responsible for extensive external repairs to the 30-room mansion.”
Hardcastle further noted, “Andrew should be safe until 2028. He is entitled to a partial rebate on his outgoings if given the order of the boot at the end of his first 25 years of his lease.”
That 2028 milestone marks the end of the first 25 years of the lease, and under the terms, Prince Andrew could be evicted with a rebate on his expenses if he is asked to leave. The current dispute comes amid reports that King Charles has given Andrew only three years to determine his future at the Royal Lodge — effectively setting the clock ticking on his long-standing residency.
Financial pressures are also mounting. Estimates suggest that the annual cost to properly maintain the aging Royal Lodge could exceed £5 million. These repairs, which include extensive work on the exterior and infrastructure, are believed to be essential to preserving the property — yet who will shoulder the burden remains a point of contention.
The row adds another layer of tension between the King and his younger brother, whose public role within the royal family has been significantly reduced in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Prince Andrew stepped back from royal duties in 2019 and was stripped of his military titles and patronages in 2022.
As of now, Prince Andrew remains in residence at Royal Lodge, but with rising costs and a looming deadline, the future of his occupancy is increasingly uncertain. Whether the royal household will reach an agreement or enforce a change by 2028 remains to be seen.