Prince Andrew Comes Out On Top Of Royal Lodge Dispute With King Charles

King Charles III has drawn a hard line on Prince Andrew's royal family role in the wake of the Duke of York's sexual assault allegations and apparent connection with Jeffrey Epstein. Over the course of the past year, the brothers have reportedly been at odds about Andrew's living situation, but it seems that an agreement has finally been reached. 

In 2003, Andrew signed a lease on the Royal Lodge that would last him a whopping 75 years. Andrew seems to have intended for this 98-acre property, which cost over $35 million, to be a forever home for him and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who he still lives with years after their divorce. As a result of the duke's newfound status in both the royal family and the public eye, however, Charles reportedly wants him out.

Since February, Charles has reportedly been attempting to force Andrew out of his home. While Andrew was openly against the idea of relocating, Charles has ways of enforcing this against his brother's will. He was reportedly considering no longer offering Andrew the annual maintenance grant for the home, which amounts to over $300,000 per year. Since Andrew is no longer a working royal, Charles is believed to want his brother to use his own money rather than take from the family's funds. Even so, sources say that Charles had no intention of kicking his brother onto the street. He is said to have hoped that Andrew would move into Frogmore Cottage, a much smaller home where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, used to live. Still, it seems that Andrew will remain in his home for the time being.

According to the Mirror, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, has received a "stay of execution," which means that he can stay at his home in order to oversee repairs that need to be done immediately. A source told the outlet: "Andrew's stance has paid off. He has refused all attempts by the King to leave his home, dig his heels and the King has relented and granted a stay of execution. He (Andrew) is in agreement that the property needs repairs, for which he has already paid more than £200,000 recently to sort out the roof and has said he will make the further necessary renovations. It seems the King just wants to move on for the time being which might be a good idea for everyone."

Of course, while the duke has managed to find a way to stay in his home for the time being, there's a chance things could change in the future — especially since someone else may be looking to move into the coveted estate. A source told Page Six that William, Prince of Wales, reportedly wants to take Andrew's home off of his hands for his own family. Not only does the house have 30 rooms, seven of which are bedrooms, but it's also only three miles away from Windsor Castle. All of these traits make the house ideal for William and his young family and, of course, King Charles may be pulling for this outcome for his own reasons.