Prince Andrew Digs in at Royal Lodge After Spat With King

Prince Andrew has won a rare turf battle inside the British monarchy. The spoils are prime Windsor real estate.

The embattled Duke of York will remain at Royal Lodge, the sprawling 30-room mansion he’s called home for two decades, despite King Charles’ attempt to push out his disgraced younger brother, the Express reported. The development was first disclosed by the Daily Mail.

The $39 million estate, located three miles south of Windsor Castle, had become a flashpoint between the monarch and the non-working royal, whose public fall from grace over sexual assault allegations and ties to Jeffrey Epstein left him ousted from official duties.

Charles reportedly attempted to force Andrew out by yanking privately funded security and encouraging him to relocate to smaller quarters. But Andrew refused to budge, citing a 75-year lease he signed in 2003 with the Crown Estate that gives him legal control of the property until 2078.

The standoff stalled efforts to reallocate high-profile royal real estate. William and Kate, who relocated to Windsor from Kensington Palace in 2022 for more privacy, are reportedly eyeing a larger residence for their growing family. With Royal Lodge off the table, one rumored alternative is Fort Belvedere, an eight-bedroom Gothic Revival property on the Windsor estate complete with tennis courts, stables, a swimming pool and three staff cottages.

Andrew’s time at the property seemed to be nearing an end when Charles cut off his brother financially, according to the New York Post. But in November, an undisclosed financial backer began bankrolling Andrew, raising questions in the United Kingdom’s government.

For Charles, the situation underscores the limitations of royal authority over Crown Estate property — which, though legally tied to the monarchy, is independently managed and governed by lease terms. For Andrew, it’s a stay of eviction from a property he has no plans to give up.

And for real estate watchers, it’s a reminder that royal housing comes with layers of legal and political complexity, even for the family that supposedly owns it.

— Holden Walter-Warner