King Charles and Prince Andrew are facing ongoing tension over the future of the Royal Lodge.
The King is reportedly wanting his brother to vacate the grand Windsor property and move into the more modest Frogmore Cottage.
This ongoing rift is compounded by the withdrawal of Andrew's £1 million living allowance, leaving him responsible for financing the upkeep of the property, which he shares with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
Despite this pressure, Andrew is reportedly determined to stay at the Royal Lodge and is managing the security costs independently.
His fall from public life, triggered by his controversial association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has left him with a tarnished reputation.
Royal author Stephen Bates suggests that the King sees Andrew’s connection to Epstein as making him a "loose cannon," which has caused ongoing tensions between the brothers.
A key decision now looms over Christmas—whether or not Andrew will be allowed to join the royal family for their traditional Christmas service at Sandringham.
For the past two years, Andrew has been permitted to attend the public outing, walking alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla, and his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. If this tradition continues, it could signal that Andrew has not been entirely ostracized by the King.
However, Bates cautions that this does not signify full reconciliation between the two, noting that Charles remains aware of the harm Andrew has caused to the monarchy.
The fate of Frogmore Cottage, which was previously occupied by Prince Harry and Meghan, is also tied to these royal tensions.
After the couple’s move to California, the King requested that they return the keys to the cottage. The plan to relocate Andrew to Frogmore was reportedly conceived by the late Queen, who saw it as a practical solution due to the property's unsustainability.
According to Robert Hardman's updated book, King Charles III: New King. New Court, an insider revealed that Queen Elizabeth II had intended for Andrew to take over Frogmore Cottage, but her death halted that plan.
