Parts of Prince Andrew’s house appear to be falling apart, months after he refused to leave and assured the king he would deal with its costly repairs.
Claims emerged last year that Andrew, 64, was unable to cover the £400,000 annual upkeep of the Royal Lodge, which has 30 bedrooms and is believed to be worth £30m.
The Duke of York, who has no apparent source of income and was forced to step down from royal duties over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, was reportedly told he would have to leave the property.
It was reported in October that he was granted “a stay of execution” after he made a deal with the king to carry out repair work on the Grade II-listed 19th-century property.
But the state of the mansion’s exterior has since been exposed, with images said to show it still needs some work, which could spark a new row.
Andrew, who took over the late Queen Mother’s home on a long-term lease, is said to have paid more than £7.5million of his own fortune for renovations.
The Mail revealed last year that the King intended to evict his brother from the Windsor estate mansion and move him to a more modest property.
Amid the dispute over his property, one of Andrew’s friends last year described how there had been a “cooling of relations” between him and the king.
Mirror posted an image showing how part of the property requires a new coat of paint, and reports that cracks are visible in the bricks that appear to be getting worse.
The newspaper quoted a source as saying: “The Duke of York has a clear responsibility for the upkeep of the Royal Lodge estate, which is certainly not happening.”
‘The state of the residence will be of great concern to the King after everything that has happened and been discussed regarding the house.
“Prince Andrew was told he must undertake the necessary renovations or he would have no reason to stay in the house.”
Andrew has lived in the house for 20 years and signed a 75-year lease after agreeing to maintain it and pay £250 a week.
Sources close to the duke said in January: ‘Andrew is not going anywhere. He has a cast iron lease.
The Mail revealed last year that the King intended to evict his brother from the mansion on the Windsor estate and move him to a more modest property.
Frogmore Cottage, previously occupied by Prince Harry and Meghan, was suggested as a possible alternative, but Andrew reportedly saw this as a “downgrade” too far.
Amid the dispute over his property, one of Andrew’s friends described how there had been a “cooling of relations” between him and the king.
The king’s younger brother was stripped of his royal duties and the use of his HRH title by the late queen.
Charles then extended an “olive branch” to his brother by inviting him to Balmoral for the summer along with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.
The brothers are said to have engaged in crisis talks during a family gathering there late last August, during which time the issue of Andrew’s tenancy was debated.
Royal Lodge has seven bedrooms on the top two floors and Andrew shares the luxurious mansion only with his ex-wife Sarah.
The mansion is in desperate need of repairs on top of the £200,000 roof maintenance Andrew has already paid for, including work to resolve a damp problem across the property.
Frogmore Cottage, previously occupied by Prince Harry and Meghan, was suggested as a possible alternative.
Andrew took over the late Queen Mother’s home on a long-term lease and has invested up to £7million of his own fortune in renovations.
In 2022, Andrew paid a £12 million settlement to Virginia Giuffre, stopping a civil trial in the US, after she said he sexually assaulted her when she was 17. He strongly denies the allegations.
The King’s younger brother was stripped of his royal duties and the use of his HRH title by the late Queen, bBut he can still attend family events, such as the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham, in a private capacity.
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
