Jump directly to the content

THE late Queen planned to kick Meghan Markle and Prince Harry out of Frogmore Cottage and move Prince Andrew in, according to reports.

The Duke of York, 64, was also described as a "bully" in a new book by royal writer Robert Hardman published in the Daily Mail.

The late Queen planned to kick Meghan Markle and Prince Harry out of Frogmore Cottage
8
The late Queen planned to kick Meghan Markle and Prince Harry out of Frogmore Cottage
Queen Elizabeth II wanted to find Andrew another home
8
Queen Elizabeth II wanted to find Andrew another home
The Duke of York, 64, was also described as a 'bully'
8
The Duke of York, 64, was also described as a 'bully'
The Duke has also refused to leave the Royal Lodge in Windsor
8
The Duke has also refused to leave the Royal Lodge in WindsorCredit: Rex
Prince Andrew driving his Range Rover today
8
Prince Andrew driving his Range Rover todayCredit: Ian Whittaker

Mr Hardman claimed Queen Elizabeth II wanted to find Andrew another home away from the Royal Lodge - a 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park.

Such a move would have involved booting The Duke and Duchess of Sussex out of Frogmore Cottage.

Citing an insider source, Mr Hardman writes: "'Had she lived another year, he would have been out,' says a former adviser to Elizabeth II firmly.


The latest royal revelation came as:

Read more Royal News


"'It was her plan to move him out, to end the lease for the Sussexes at Frogmore Cottage and to move Andrew in there.

"'It was mainly a money thing, as she could see it was becoming unsustainable.'"

Mr Hardman also alleged that the late Queen's staff were "more than happy to make it happen".

When his rooms were taken over in Buckingham Palace, one staff member recalled: "'No one felt guilty about taking over his office because he and his people had become bullies by the end.'"

It follows reports the King is cutting financial ties to the disgraced Duke of York.

Andrew's annual £1 million "living allowance" has been withdrawn by Charles.

The move will be seen as another step the King has taken to publicly distance himself from his younger brother following his association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The key phrase Emily Maitlis used to break arrogant Prince Andrew in that car crash Newsnight interview, claims body language expert

Mr Hardman claimed the keeper of the privy purse was "instructed to sever his living allowance" after Andrew reportedly refused to move out of the Royal Lodge into the nearby smaller Frogmore Cottage.

The duke was said to have signed a 75-lease on the Royal Lodge.

Mr Hardman writes: "'The duke is no longer a financial burden on the King,' confirms one familiar with the situation.

"'He claims to have found other sources of income related to his contacts in international trade, sufficient to cover all his costs - which would be a welcome outcome for all parties if that turns out to be the case.

'Stubborn' Prince Andrew 'refuses to move out of Royal Lodge as he doesn't want to admit guilt', royal expert says

By Morgan Johnson

PRINCE Andrew is refusing to move out of Royal Lodge because it would admit his guilty part in the sex scandal, claims a royal expert.

The disgraced Duke of York, 64, lives on the sprawling Windsor estate despite stepping back from public-facing duties nearly five years ago.

With pressures mounting to kick Andrew out of Royal Lodge and into a smaller residence, expert Hugo Vickers said an ideal situation would be if he volunteered to relocate.

But by doing so, shamed Andrew would be giving up his 75-year lease on the place - which experts argue would only be forfeited if he had a guilty conscience having long been linked to Epstein.

Hugo told The Sun: "I think we must all accept that he is not wanted for any public duties.

"If you were running a charity you wouldn't be asking Prince Andrew to come and be your guest of honour. So nobody wants him in a public way.

"So there he is living at Royal Lodge, playing golf, seeing his children and grandchildren and riding in the park and it is expensive.

"The ideal situation would of course be that Andrew would volunteer to down-size and move somewhere else. 

"What I think he feels is that if he moves out of Royal Lodge it's somehow publicly accepting guilt for which he has not been proved.

"Nevertheless it's an expensive lifestyle."

"'But as to whether this funding can be relied upon in the long term is another matter.'"

The Sun on Sunday reported in August that the King was axing Andrew's security at the Royal Lodge.

It had been privately funded by Charles after his brother lost publicly-funded police protection in 2022.

In July, palace officials confirmed that Frogmore Cottage remained empty more than a year after the Sussexes officially vacated the property.

Pressure mounted on Andrew earlier this year after the unsealing of hundreds of pages of court documents connected to the Epstein scandal.

They detailed how the financier's former housekeeper Juan Alessi claimed the duke had daily massages when he spent "weeks" at the paedophile's Florida home.

Previous allegations that Andrew sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre three times when she was 17 years old, including during an orgy, also resurfaced in the court documents.

He has strenuously denied the allegations, saying he never met her, and in 2022 paid millions to Ms Giuffre to settle a civil case out of court.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story by Robert Hardman, to be published by Macmillan on November 7.

Prince Andrew will be exposed, says royal expert

BY Matt Wilkinson and Ethan Singh

Prince Andrew will be exposed and it's time he disappeared as his Epstein case has been an "absolute disaster", a royal expert has claimed.

The disgraced Duke of York, 64, is under new pressure to quit his Royal Lodge home after the King laid off its ten-strong security team last week.

Charles, 75, has told the details they are no longer needed from the autumn.

Andrew currently resides at the Windsor Great Park lodging in Berkshire, which boasts 30 rooms, a swimming pool and large grounds.

But he has refused to vacate the Royal Lodge despite reports suggesting King Charles wants him to move to Frogmore Cottage.

Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, writer and broadcaster Robert Jobson claimed that long-standing controversy surrounding the Duke has been an "absolute disaster" for the royal family.

"It's just one of the worst things that could happen, that's why he's not a working royal."

Jobson then suggested that King Charles is likely to just want Andrew out of the picture, wherever that may be.

And the expert claimed that Andrew will probably have to accept that he will "have to leave Royal Lodge" in the future.

He added: "It needs a lot of static security, it's not really a lodge, it's a palace, and it's too big for him to live in.

"The reality is that he can't really afford it.

"And long term what's the point what is he trying to achieve? Charles is now the King, William is the next in line.

"Andrew isn't even a working royal anymore, he can't go around saying he's the Queen's son, he's just not that important anymore.

"I think if the King is generous to offer him another place to live he should take it."

Andrew hasn't received an income since becoming embroiled in sex allegations
8
Andrew hasn't received an income since becoming embroiled in sex allegationsCredit: Rex
King Charles laid off Andrew's ten-strong private security detail earlier this year
8
King Charles laid off Andrew's ten-strong private security detail earlier this yearCredit: PA
It is unclear whether he received any major windfall from his late mother's will when she passed away in September 2022
8
It is unclear whether he received any major windfall from his late mother's will when she passed away in September 2022Credit: Alamy
Topics