Prince Andrew Refuses To Downsize From $38 Million Royal Mansion, Risking War With King Charles

Prince Andrew, the disgraced Duke of York, has adamantly refused to downsize from his luxurious royal mansion, the $38 million Royal Lodge, located on the grounds of Windsor Castle after his brother, King Charles, has repeatedly asked him to.

The royal has occupied the property since 2004 after he signed a 75-year lease agreement the previous year.

Andrew’s refusal to vacate the premises comes in the wake of his controversial association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which was brought to light in 2019. The situation further deteriorated in January 2023 when the duke was named in the Epstein document dump, which further damaged his already-tarnished reputation.

Despite growing pressure from the monarchy, Andrew is unwilling to downsize to the smaller Frogmore Cottage, a property that was previously occupied by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. King Charles and his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton are battling cancer, and the king not likely seeking open war with his brother.

If and when Andrew does eventually move, it will likely be due to his inability to cover the maintenance costs of the Royal Lodge, which requires an annual $503,000 to upkeep. The property previously belonged to the Queen Mother until her death in 2002, and Andrew currently shares the 31-room mansion with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. Although Andrew and Ferguson, both 64, were divorced in 1996, they have remained close, and Ferguson attended the Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, last year.

Meanwhile, Frogmore Cottage continues to sit vacant, more than a year after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were forced to hand over the keys. King Charles had reportedly offered the property to Andrew, but the disgraced royal declined the offer.