Andrew Reportedly Convinced Charles Has an ‘Ulterior Motive’ for Eviction — and It Involves Camilla
The tug of war between King Charles and Prince Andrew over the latter's future at Royal Lodge rages on following the former Duke's decision to relinquish his royal titles. While many reports suggest that Charles is under mounting pressure from both his family and the public to remove Andrew from the royal property, the public outcry may not be his sole reason to do so.
As per The Telegraph, Andrew's friends alleged that the Prince believes Charles has an 'ulterior motive' to remove him from Royal Lodge. They claimed that Andrew and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, have "told friends that the King wants Royal Lodge to be the Queen’s base in Windsor should she outlive him." Such an arrangement would mirror that of the late Queen Elizabeth's mother, who moved from Windsor Castle to Royal Lodge after her husband passed away. While aides of the King have reportedly flatly denied the suggestion, Andrew has "nevertheless become fixed on the idea, which surfaced a year ago, that Royal Lodge was being earmarked for the Queen."
However, there appears to be little evidence that Queen Camilla would be interested in living at Royal Lodge if she outlives Charles. Family friends described her as "far less grand than Prince Andrew" and "unlikely to want to live alone in such a large residence even for only part of the year." Instead, she is reportedly more interested in living in RayMill House in Wiltshire, which she purchased with her divorce settlement from Andrew Parker Bowles.
Despite Charles's best efforts to pressure Andrew to leave Royal Lodge, the former Duke is protected by an 'iron-clad' rent agreement, ensuring his stay for over 70 years. But Andrew is said to have finally given in to the pressure from his brother. The Prince has allegedly told Palace aides that he would leave the lavish home, which he has occupied for more than 20 years, if he could relocate to Frogmore Cottage. A friend of his told The Sun, "Andy is willing to leave, but these are his demands. He knows the writing is on the wall and that his time at Royal Lodge is up. If he must go, then he has asked for Frogmore Cottage. Incredibly, Sarah has said she wants Adelaide Cottage."
Amid the eviction drama, speculation also grew that Andrew might take refuge in a 'secret palace' in Abu Dhabi, reportedly a gift from the Al Nahyan family. However, that is unlikely as the Prince finds the area 'too quiet,' while Ferguson is known to dislike the heat. The news comes amid reports that Prince William and Kate Middleton are eager to have Andrew and Ferguson removed from Royal Lodge, as they allegedly do not want to live near them.