Prince Andrew grins while driving his Range Rover to Windsor after demanding a summit with King

Prince Andrew was pictured grinning as he drove his Range Rover through the grounds of Windsor Castle this morning and appeared on his horse.

The Duke of York appeared to be in a jovial spirit when he was stopped on his horseback ride by barriers erected for the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Andrew, 63, is said to be at odds with the king over plans to have him move out of the £30 million Royal Lodge on the estate. He got the house from his deceased mother and has lived there for more than 20 years.

The King has made it known that Andrew must leave the house where he lives with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and downsize to Prince Harry’s vacant former home, Frogmore Cottage.

It is common knowledge that the Royal Lodge, once occupied by the Queen Mother, is destined for Prince William and his family.

Prince Andrew appeared to be in a jovial spirit as he was stopped from continuing his horse ride through barriers erected for the Royal Windsor Horse Show

The King is also moving forward with plans to reduce the £250,000 grant the late Queen gave to Andrew, which may leave him without funds to pay for the upkeep of the property.

The Duke has reportedly requested a face-to-face summit with his brother.

Sources close to Andrew insist he ‘refuses to give in’ to Royal Lodge, claiming he was dejected and withdrawn.

A friend said, ‘He’s so fragile. He refuses to see anyone. This has been his family home for the past 20 years. Is it wise to throw him out?

“He’s worried that now that the coronation is over, the knives are out. He’s afraid the Royals will even cut the utilities to get him out of there. But we’re dealing with people, not real estate.’

The daughters of the Duke and Duchess of York, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, are regular visitors to the lodge.

It is common knowledge that the Royal Lodge, once occupied by the Queen Mother, is destined for Prince William and his family

Friends of the Yorks say Andrew, who was forced to step back as a front-line Royal due to his association with pedophile millionaire Jeffrey Epstein, ‘refuses to give in’ to Royal Lodge

Another friend said, “Eugenie is heavily pregnant and her parents are expecting their new grandchild this summer.

“Remember, Sarah has been the glue that has held the family together through this nightmare.”

It is understood that the Palace had initially said the Yorks would have to vacate the premises – which they are renting – by September, but authorities now accept that such a tight timetable is unrealistic.

Refurbished to a high standard, Frogmore Cottage became vacant after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, left to live in California.

Negotiations on Royal Lodge – which began under the reign of the late Queen – are continuing. It’s clear Andrew is frustrated that the conversations are between officials rather than brothers – and he wants that to change.

As first revealed in The Mail on Sunday, the King is cutting the £250,000 annual grant the late Queen gave to Andrew – meaning he can no longer afford the upkeep of the mansion

Refurbished to a high standard, Frogmore Cottage became vacant after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, left to live in California

Friends suggest he might consider a compromise if Charles “does the decent thing” and talks to his brother face-to-face.

One said, “If Charles wants Andrew to play along and help the family through these difficult times, aren’t there better ways to go about it?

‘Why not do the decent thing, sit down and talk?

“If they need the house for William, maybe Andrew should hear it. Perhaps William should invite his uncle to tea and explain.

Or why doesn’t Charles invite his brother to a meeting and ask him to leave Royal Lodge to help his cousin and the future of the monarchy? And agree on a schedule that is acceptable to both parties.

‘Is a little decency so hard? Real people are at the center of all this.

“He just lost his mother. Who would want to be evicted by their brother right after that?’