Surprise twist in Charles and Andrew property war

King Charles and Prince Andrew have reportedly been butting heads over the prince’s living situation. Photo / Getty Images
As King Charles and Prince Andrew continue their property war, it appears Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson may have held the solution all along.
The 75-year-old monarch and his 64-year-old brother have reportedly been butting heads in recent months after the late Queen’s third child has been struggling to pay for his current residence, Royal Lodge.
According to the Sun on Sunday, Charles has been privately funding Andrew’s security after the prince lost his rights to police protection in 2022 following a civil sexual assault lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, which saw him stripped of his military titles and patronages.
The news outlet reported this week that the King is no longer paying the estimated £3 million ($6.3m) a year for security as he continues his battle to evict Andrew from the 31-room Windsor Great Park residence.
Andrew has been living in the home with his ex-wife Sarah, the Duchess of York, since 2004. It reportedly requires multiple renovations and repairs, which Andrew cannot afford.
Now, MailOnline has reported that the solution to the King’s problem may be right under his nose, as Sarah’s £4m ($8.5m) London apartment is currently empty.
The news outlet reported that the two-bedroom home is situated in Belgravia, a highly sought-after suburb in the city, just around the corner from the former couple’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Sarah is understood to have purchased the property two years ago and has yet to move into the home and has had no luck renting it out.
Sources told the publication that the duchess has rarely been seen in the townhouse, which was allegedly purchased as a “long term investment” for the princesses.
“It’s been empty for quite a while now, but we have seen Fergie on the odd occasion but I’m not sure how long she actually stayed there,” one source told the news outlet.
“You could not get a more exclusive location and that comes at a hefty price,” another said. They added, “Even if Fergie was in her house most of the time nobody would be bothering her. People are very discreet around here.”
It comes after a source told the Times that Charles has been trying to encourage his brother to move into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s old home, Frogmore Cottage, with reports he is even offering to pay for Andrew’s lifestyle, but has been met with refusal.
“Unfortunately, if Andrew refuses to leave within a reasonable time frame, then the King may be forced to reassess the whole package of support he provides,” the insider said.
Prince Andrew must repaint Windsor Royal Lodge with two coats of paint every five years – as Charles ‘threatens to sever ties’ if Duke refuses to move out https://t.co/ncmkd6yzEN pic.twitter.com/CjikeYhnVD
“And the duke would be required to fund the lion’s share of his security, accommodation and lifestyle costs all on his own – which, given the sums involved, is highly unlikely to be possible in the long term.”
The Times reported Andrew is currently locked into a 73-year lease with the Crown Estate, which began in 2003. The terms of the lease mean it is the prince’s responsibility to “repair, renew, uphold, clean and keep in repair and where necessary rebuild” the entirety of the estate.
According to the report cited by the news outlet, the estate must be repainted with “two coats of paint” every five years. It’s understood the inside must also be redecorated every seven years.