Prince Andrew was spotted with his younger brother Edward, Duke of Edinburgh on Saturday amid claims he intends to refuse King Charles III’s request to move from the Royal Lodge to Frogmore Cottage.
The pair were spotted chatting as they took their horses near Windsor Castle on a gloriously sunny morning in the city.
It comes as Prince Andrew is reportedly trying to relaunch himself as a royal, having been forced to step back and cease royal work following the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
He’s also set to refuse his older brother’s requestse that he is swapping the 30-room lodge where he currently lives with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson for the considerably smaller Frogmore Cottage.
King Charles would have ‘no power’ to kick Prince Andrew out of his Royal Lodge home in Windsor, and sources say the Duke has ‘no plans’ to leave.
Prince Andrew rode alongside his younger brother Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh
The brothers seemed to be deep in conversation as they soaked up the sun in Windsor
The brothers appeared relaxed but in deep conversation as they embarked on the usual weekend drive of the Duke of York.
The pair was accompanied by two other riders.
An insider claims that the monarch will not be able to remove the disgraced royal family from the property because his brother’s name is on the lease, not the royal family’s.
It has been reported that the Royal Lodge was lined up for Prince William and Kate to move in.
But Andrew is reportedly planning to honor the lease he signed in 2003 – which expires in 75 years – by refusing to vacate the £30 million mansion.
This is despite alleged pressure from Buckingham Palace to move into Frogmore Cottage, a smaller residence on the Windsor estate formerly occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
An insider who is in regular contact with Andrew has told this The times: ‘The lease is in the duke’s name, so no one can take that away from him.
“It was never suggested that it could be taken from him. It is a long lease with a term of 80 to 90 years.
“This is a lease between him and the Crown Estate. That is not a matter for the king. It is a matter for the Chancellor of the Treasury. The only way to get him to move is through a settlement – he would have to agree.’
An insider claims the monarch cannot remove the disgraced king from the royal box because his brother’s name is on the lease, not the royal family’s.
Sources close to Prince Andrew (pictured) claimed he will not leave his Royal Lodge home for Prince William and Kate and that the King has no power to remove him
Andrew moved into the lavish home after the Queen Mother’s death in 2002. He was given the residence by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and lives there with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
There is pressure from Buckingham Palace to move into Frogmore Cottage, a smaller residence on the Windsor estate formerly occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
A friend told the Mail On Sunday that Andrew is feeling dejected and ‘refuses to part with’ the estate, which is believed to be reserved for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children.
“He’s so vulnerable,” the friend told the Mail. There are reports that Andrew has been dejected and even withdrawn.
‘He refuses to see anyone. This has been his family home for the past 20 years. Is it really wise to kick him out?’
They added: “He is concerned that now that the coronation is over, the knives are out. He is afraid that the royals will even cut the utilities to get him out of there. But we’re dealing with people, not real estate.’
Prince Harry and Meghan previously lived at Frogmore Cottage (pictured inside the cottage)
It is common knowledge that the Royal Lodge, once occupied by the Queen Mother, is destined for Prince William and his family.
Andrew moved into the luxury home after the Queen Mother’s death in 2002.
He was given the residence by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and lives there with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
Tom Bower, who has written biographies of the King and Prince Harry, told The Times: ‘I think the King is right. He must slim down the number of houses in the royal portfolio and Andrew must face his fate. He can no longer live like a duke. Frogmore will be a cold shower for him, but he’ll have to deal with it.’
Bower added that Frogmore Cottage has five bedrooms – two fewer than Royal Lodge – and was an “obvious step back for the Duke.”