Prince Andrew in advanced talks to leave the Royal Lodge

Buckingham Palace will be keen to avoid a lengthy and drawn-out parliamentary inquiry into any matter touching the royal finances, which has lent additional urgency to the issue of resolving Andrew’s accommodation.

As for the question of where the Prince would live if he left the Royal Lodge, the most trouble-free solution would be to settle him at one of the King’s privately owned estates, most likely Sandringham or Balmoral, where he could use one of the detached houses on either estate. This would enable him to live rent-free without incurring any cost to the public purse.

But Andrew is not keen on being exiled to Norfolk or Scotland and wants to stay close to his daughters in London or Windsor.

Moving her to a smaller property on the Windsor estate would minimize public anger at her living a taxpayer-subsidized life of luxury, but having to pay rent she cannot afford.

Moving him to Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace would also risk accusations that he was rewarded rather than punished, and housing him in national buildings would come at a cost to the public purse.

Meanwhile, there is also the question of what will happen to Royal Lodge, as its proximity to Windsor Castle makes it difficult, if not impossible, to rent privately.

According to the terms of the lease agreement he signed in 2003, the Prince has the right to get back some of the money he paid in advance; This includes £1 million for the 75-year lease and £7.5 million for renovation costs. If he leaves before next June, he will be in line for a repayment of £557,596, decreasing by £185,865 each year until 2028, when he will owe nothing.

The prince argued that regardless of the rent waiver, it made no sense for him to walk away from a property that cost him around £10 million before the move and has cost millions more to maintain since then.

This means that because the Crown Estate is tied to the Treasury, which is unlikely to allow public money to be used, it is likely to claim much more than the money it is legally owed and may need to be funded by the King.

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An added complication is the living arrangements of Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who has her own room at the Royal Lodge. It is unclear whether she will move in with the Prince or find a place to live on her own.

It is understood that the Prince of Wales wants to stay out of the negotiations because he is on good terms with his cousins ​​Beatrice and Eugenie, but has made it clear that he wants the issue to be resolved.

In recent days, Prince William and the King have made clear through their representatives that Beatrice and Eugenie are innocent of the outrage and that their homes in the royal palaces are safe.

In a further blow to Prince Andrew, the royal standard was removed from St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. This was in connection with his membership in the Order of the Garter, which he renounced last week.

Telegraph, London

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