Any bid by King Charles to evict Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson from Royal Lodge would be a “waste of time,” legal experts have warned, as the Duke’s lease guarantees his tenancy for another 50 years.
Andrew and Fergie have lived rent-free in the 30-room mansion since 2003 after he paid £1 million for a 75-year lease in his name and that of his family, which doesn’t expire until 2078.
Top property lawyer Mike Hansom has delivered a hammer blow to those calling for Andrew’s eviction, declaring any attempt to remove him would be legally futile given the strength of his lease agreement.
“Waste of Time” to Try Eviction
“Any attempt to get Andrew out would be a waste of time as he bought the house on a 75-year lease agreement and therefore is legally entitled to live in the property until 2078,” said Mr Hansom, partner at BLB Solicitors.
“He would either have to agree to leave by mutual consent or can only be forced to leave if he has failed to adhere to the tenants covenants in the lease, which is unlikely.”
The legal assessment will frustrate those demanding Andrew be removed from the property, including Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick who says the British public are “sick” of the disgraced royal.
Ancient Law Last Hope
Property expert and estate agent Henry Sherwood agreed evicting Andrew against his will would prove almost impossible unless royal lawyers could unearth obscure historical legislation.
“He has lease to rent it but there is a peppercorn agreement so he only pays a nominal amount, usually just £1 so they can say he pays for it,” Mr Sherwood explained.
“Unless there are any break clauses then the lease is valid for the full term and he cannot be evicted. However, they may be able to find an ancient by law, etcetera, saying only available to royalty.”
The suggestion that medieval royal prerogatives might offer the only legal path to removing Andrew underscores just how watertight his lease appears under modern property law.
William “Can’t Abide” Andrew
Royal biographer Tina Brown claims Prince William and Kate “can’t abide Andrew and want him to disappear,” with his proximity to their Windsor home threatening to spoil their family life.
Writing on her Fresh Hell Substack, Ms Brown described the future king and queen’s dilemma: “How do you disappear a 6-foot-tall, 190-pound, 65-year-old man in robust good health who has an iron-clad contract to live in the Queen Mother’s former mansion?
Calling Andrew the “Duke of Dross,” Brown suggests only voluntary exile to “a cottage on the Balmoral estate or a cushy villa on a Dubai golf course” would solve the problem.
22 Years Without Paying Rent
An unredacted copy of Andrew’s lease emerged last night revealing he hasn’t paid rent on the palatial property for 22 years despite market rates estimated at £260,000 annually.
The lease shows that whilst Andrew paid £1 million upfront in 2003 and spent £7.5 million on refurbishments, he pays only “one peppercorn (if demanded)” in rent each year.
This arrangement exists because Andrew is deemed to have paid rent in advance through the extensive renovation work he funded to bring the property up to standard.
Crown Estate Would Owe Andrew Money
Remarkably, the lease terms mean the Crown Estate would have to pay Andrew around half a million pounds if he were persuaded to quit the mansion before 2078.
This financial reality makes Andrew’s position even more entrenched, as leaving would actually net him a substantial payout rather than costing him anything.
The revelation will add to public outrage over Andrew’s perceived perks whilst living under the cloud of the Epstein scandal.
Mystery of How Andrew Affords Royal Lodge
Despite the peppercorn rent arrangement, questions remain about how Andrew funds Royal Lodge’s multi-million pound running costs.
The Daily Mail exclusively revealed Andrew is not believed to have received any significant inheritance from either the Queen or Queen Mother, raising fresh questions about his finances.
He now receives no personal allowance from King Charles and no public funding, yet somehow maintains the vast 30-bedroom property with its 96-acre grounds.
The mansion is described by Windsor sources as a virtual “money pit,” with longstanding claims Andrew has been struggling with its upkeep costs.
Security Costs Add to Financial Burden
Beyond the property itself, Andrew must fund his own security after losing his official police bodyguard following his withdrawal from royal duties.
Private security for a former senior royal living in a high-profile property would cost hundreds of thousands annually.
The combination of maintenance costs and security expenses makes Andrew’s ability to sustain his lifestyle increasingly mysterious.
King’s Failed Downsizing Offer
Charles had previously offered to reinstate Andrew’s personal allowance and help fund his security if he downsized to a smaller property on the Windsor estate, potentially Frogmore Cottage recently vacated by Harry.
When Andrew point-blank refused, the King withdrew both the personal allowance and security funding.
It remains unclear whether Charles’s offer would still stand if Andrew changed his mind, or whether the relationship has deteriorated beyond such compromises.
Jenrick: Public “Sick” of Andrew
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has led calls for Andrew to leave Royal Lodge, arguing taxpayers shouldn’t subsidise his lifestyle.
“I don’t see why the taxpayer frankly should continue to foot the bill. The public are sick of Prince Andrew,” Jenrick declared.
He continued: “It’s about time Prince Andrew took himself off to live in private and make his own way in life. He has disgraced himself, he has embarrassed the Royal Family time and again.”
Scotland Yard Criminal Probe
Andrew could become the first royal caught up in a criminal investigation in more than 20 years, with Scotland Yard “actively” probing claims he asked an officer to dig up dirt on Virginia Giuffre.
The police investigation represents a dramatic escalation of Andrew’s legal troubles beyond the civil settlement he reached with Giuffre.
Officers admit the internal probe could take weeks, particularly if records from years ago still exist.
William’s Coronation Ban
Tina Brown repeated claims that William will ban Andrew from his future coronation, and might even exclude him from King Charles’s funeral when that tragic day arrives.
“The thornier question, perhaps approaching faster than anyone is indelicate enough to discuss, is whether, in the fullness of time, Andrew will be allowed to attend his brother, the king’s, funeral,” she wrote.
The suggestion that Andrew might be excluded from his own brother’s funeral underscores the complete breakdown in family relations.
Toe-Curling Westminster Cathedral Moment
Brown cited the uncomfortable moment William was photographed alongside Andrew at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral at Westminster Cathedral last month.
Andrew loomed like a great white shark at the shoulder of a stone-faced Prince William,” she wrote, describing William “staring implacably in the other direction” whilst unable to escape his uncle’s presence in photographs.
“No chance of that happening again,” Brown concluded, suggesting William will ensure future family occasions don’t create similar embarrassing images.
Growing Calls for Parliamentary Action
A growing chorus of MPs is demanding legislation to legally strip Andrew of his royal titles through an Act of Parliament, after he only voluntarily gave them up last Friday.
Voluntary surrender means Andrew could theoretically reclaim the titles, whereas parliamentary action would permanently remove them.
Beatrice Shows Support
Princess Beatrice visited her father at Royal Lodge in a public show of support amid the latest scandals.
She and sister Eugenie reportedly pulled out of a Saturday charity ball in London as unedifying claims about their father dominated headlines.
The daughters’ loyalty to their father creates an uncomfortable dynamic for the wider royal family trying to distance themselves from Andrew.
As legal experts confirm Andrew’s lease makes eviction virtually impossible without his consent, the royal family faces the uncomfortable reality that the disgraced Duke will remain their neighbour for decades to come unless he chooses to leave.
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Image Credit:
Prince Andrew, Duke of York — photo by Chatham House (HH Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Chatham House Prize 2017), licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. (commons.wikimedia.org)
