King Charles and Prince Andrew have always had a complicated relationship.
In recent years, the main point of contention has been Andrew’s numerous scandals, including his involvement with infamous sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
But the rift appears to be less serious than the feud between Prince William and Prince Harry. After all, Charles and Andrew are still on speaking terms.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend the Order of the Garter Service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on June 15, 2015 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Peter Nicholls – WPA Pool /Getty Images)
That said, the monarch and his black sheep younger brother have been butting heads for years. And it seems that the situation is now coming to a head thanks to a dispute over housing.
King Charles Is Trying to Evict Prince Andrew
According to a new report from The New York Post, Charles has been strongly urging Andrew to vacate his current residence, the Royal Lodge on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Andrew currently lives there with his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, and it seems the exes lack the necessary income to maintain the property.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales arrive for the first day of Royal Ascot 2006, at Ascot Racecourse on June 20, 2006 in Ascot, England. (Photo by MJ Kim/Getty Images)
Charles has proposed that they move out of the 31-room property and relocate to the much smaller Frogmore Cottage.
(You might remember that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle used to claim Frogmore as their own before they were evicted by Charles.)
But Andrew’s lack of income is due largely to the fact that Charles has tightened the royal purse strings.
He now views the king’s eviction attempt as another public humiliation. And it seems he’s drawn a line in the sand.
Britain’s Prince Charles and Prince Andrew depart after attending the Garter service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, in south-east England, 18 June 2007. (Photo credit should read Leon Neal/AFP via Getty Images)
A Brotherly Dispute
According to royal expert Christopher Wilson, the situation is much more serious than a simple dispute over housing.
He believes that by refusing to vacate the house that was formerly home to the Queen Mother, Andrew is showing tremendous disrespect to his late grandmother.
“It’s dishonoring [the Queen Mother’s] memory,” Wilson recently told The Sun.
“It’s shoving up two fingers at King Charles. The state of his mind is reflected in the state of his home.”
King Charles III, Anne, Princess Royal and Prince Andrew, Duke of York watch on as The Queen’s funeral cortege borne on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy as it departs Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Wilson says that Andrew’s disregard for his family is evidenced by the house’s disrepair.
“It is falling all around him,” said the journalist. “He doesn’t care anymore.”
But Charles does care, and he might soon double down in his efforts to convince his brother to downsize.
Charles’ Mission
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Andrew, Duke of York , Prince Charles, Prince of Wales during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England. Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was born 10 June 1921, in Greece. (Photo by Leon Neal/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
As we previously stated, Charles is no stranger to familial evictions. Amid great controversy, he removed Harry and Meghan from Frogmore last year, just one day before the publication of Harry’s memoir.
With multiple sexual assault allegations against him, Andrew has certainly brought greater shame to the family.
And polls indicate that he’s the least popular royal by a significant margin.
But Charles has always seemed to have a soft spot for his brother. So don’t be surprised if this dispute drags on for a while.
The King Charles-Prince Andrew Feud Heats Up with Fight Over Royal Residence was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.