Prince William and Kate Middleton ‘real feelings’ about moving into Royal Lodge amid row

Prince Andrew is under mounting pressure to leave the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, with some reports suggesting that King Charles could move his cousin out – but who will move in?

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Prince William and Princess Kate are said to be less than enthused about the idea of inheriting Royal Lodge
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s thoughts about Royal Lodge have been “revealed” as the row continues.

King Charles has been keen to evict Prince Andrew from the sprawling 30-bedroom property that he currently occupies with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson for months.

Recent reports suggest he has even ceased funding for the Duke of York’s private security detail in a not-so-subtle attempt to encourage him to downsize.

And rumours have been circulating that William and Kate could potentially become the next occupants of the colossal £30million mansion. However, some commentators claim they view the Lodge as more of a poisoned chalice.

The Royal Lodge dates back to the mid-seventeenth century, with a house on the site by 1662
Speaking on the Palace Confidential podcast, royal expert Richard Eden stated: “Prince William and his family are not itching to move in. They’re elsewhere on the estate and there’s big bills that will have to be paid for repairing the Royal Lodge the last thing William and Katherine want is to be lumbered with a PR disaster of having to spend millions on another house.”

According to the 75-year lease agreement granted to him in 2003 by the Crown Estate, Prince Andrew is obligated to “repair, renew, uphold, clean and keep in repair and, where necessary, rebuild” the mansion.

The National Audit Office (NAO) report into the lease agreement revealed that the Crown Estate’s independent advisors had suggested that the refurbishment work would cost at least £5 million.

Prince Andrew is determined to hang on to the prestigious property
Andrew allegedly forked out over £200,000 for roof repairs on the Royal residence last summer, but that was considered only an “interim payment” with more fixes required. A source told the Mirror: “The Duke of York has a clear responsibility for the upkeep of the Royal Lodge estate, which is certainly not happening.”

Yet Andrew appears firmly committed to retaining Royal Lodge for its undeniable prestige, as opposed to the humbler Frogmore Cottage, despite the latter’s £2.4million 2019 refurbishment. Rebecca English, the Daily Mail’s royal correspondent, said: “Andrew very much is the man that doesn’t want to go.”

She added: “The King is funding this out of his own pocket and [sources] said to me his patience is not limitless on this.”

Nonetheless, Richard Eden remarked: “The property is owned by the crown estate, there’s no great reason to get rid of him other than the costs of security which the King is paying for. But, the King has a lot of money and it just seems petty that he is trying to get rid of him.”