Queen Elizabeth ‘remained incredibly close’ to Prince Andrew ‘right up until her death,’ royal author claims
Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair's royal correspondent and author of ‘The New Royals,’ spoke to Fox News Digital about the late monarch's close relationship with the Duke of York during the months leading up to her death.
King Charles III is celebrating his 76th birthday, and the monarch's one wish is reportedly to solve his "Andrew problem."
The U.K. Sunday Times recently reported that Prince Andrew has raised the money he needs to continue staying at his lavish Royal Lodge home. According to the outlet, the disgraced Duke of York's personal allowance was cut by the monarch.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
KING CHARLES CUTS PRINCE ANDREW’S $1 MILLION ALLOWANCE, PRIVATE SECURITY: BOOK
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that, for his birthday, King Charles would likely want his "Andrew problem" solved. (Ray Tang/Pool via Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
"For his birthday, the king … will celebrate with family and no doubt give thanks and cheers for being alive," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "Despite his cancer treatment, he is coping with a rigorous work schedule.
"The Royal Lodge problem still rumbles on, although King Charles has made a decisive move and has financially cut him off. … Prince Andrew is no longer a working royal and is viewed as the idle, entitled, privileged duke in the court of public opinion.
"King Charles recognizes that Andrew is fragile but also acknowledges that he has inflicted a lot of upset on himself by making appalling judgments, tragic interviews and more," Chard added. "Prince Andrew can now maintain his lease and pay for his Windsor home as he has friends in high places who will stump up the cash needed."
"King Charles recognizes that Andrew is fragile but also acknowledges that he has inflicted a lot of upset on himself by making appalling judgments, tragic interviews and more."
"The relationship has hit an all-time low," royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. (Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
According to The Sunday Times, Charles instructed the Keeper of the Privy Purse to remove Andrew’s $1.3 million annual personal allowance and to stop paying for his security. However, Andrew has raised enough money to continue living at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, which is worth a reported $38 million.
The 64-year-old has been living in the 31-room estate since 2004. He lives there with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. According to reports, he has spent over $9 million on repairs and renovations and $1 million to take it over. His annual rent is a reported $337,000. The palatial property requires an estimated $503,000 annually for upkeep.
The outlet reported that Andrew’s funds were approved by the Keeper of the Privy Purse as coming from legitimate sources.
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An aerial view of Royal Lodge. Prince Andrew was spotted heading out with a security guard in his £140,000 Range Rover. (Mega Agency)
"King Charles has important things to carry out as head of state and doesn't have time to dwell on Prince Andrew," Chard claimed. "Prince Andrew may have been the late Queen Elizabeth's favorite son, but he is certainly not King Charles' favorite brother. King Charles will not be as forgiving and caring as his mother would have been.
"There is frustration and … animosity between the brothers," Chard claimed. "Prince Andrew feels he has nothing to lose, is digging his heels in and not budging from Royal Lodge, whereas King Charles just wants the Andrew problem gone for the sake of the royal family. … He wishes he would see sense. … The fact that Andrew lives in the huge Royal Lodge … when his reputation is at an all-time low is not a good look."
Sources previously told The Sunday Times the king was "losing patience" over his brother’s living arrangements and was "at his wit’s end."
King Charles reportedly wanted to relocate Prince Andrew to Frogmore Cottage, but the Duke of York refused. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
According to the outlet, the king didn’t renew the contract for Andrew’s private security team. The monarch, who is battling cancer, has been paying for Andrew’s security after the prince lost his police protection in 2022. The security team is said to cost Charles nearly $4 million annually.
At the time, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace told Fox News Digital the palace wouldn’t comment on "security matters."
"The relationship has hit an all-time low," royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "King Charles III is no doubt reeling from the excruciating publicly known defeat he has suffered now that Prince Andrew has prevailed, winning living out the rest of his life in his grand home, known forevermore as the ‘Siege of Royal Lodge.’ His lease gives him and his descendants the right to reside there until 2078.
WATCH: QUEEN ELIZABETH ‘REMAINED INCREDIBLY CLOSE’ TO PRINCE ANDREW ‘RIGHT UP UNTIL HER DEATH,’ ROYAL AUTHOR CLAIMS
"Purportedly, Prince Andrew has secured the funds from his contacts in the Middle East," Fordwich claimed.
It was reported that the duke, who is "at the brink of eviction," was expected to downsize due his ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
According to the outlet, the king would have covered his brother’s living expenses if he moved into Frogmore Cottage, the former U.K. home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex live in California with their two young children. (Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Frogmore Cottage has been vacant since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were asked to vacate. They live in California.
After Andrew reportedly refused to downsize, the king axed his allowance.
Recent photographs indicate that the Royal Lodge is in dire need of repairs as the prince struggles to maintain its costly upkeep. Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital an estimated $2.5 million would be needed to restore the property.
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Frogmore Cottage, the former U.K. home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (GOR/Getty Images)
"Charles wishes that Prince Andrew could take residence in Harry and Meghan’s former home," he said. "The biggest birthday present Charles could give to himself is to quickly rectify this unruly mess."
Fordwich previously told Fox News Digital Andrew "is a prisoner of his own pride."
"Prince Andrew is adamant on staying," Fordwich claimed. "In his quest to be the ‘People’s King,’ Charles wants to be valued by taxpayers. His image of the monarchy and ‘cutting back costs’ extends to all non-working royals, including Prince Andrew.
Royal Lodge, a 31-room estate, requires an estimated $503,000 annually for upkeep. (MEGA)
"For the Brits, Prince Andrew is a national embarrassment. He is at the bottom of royal popularity ratings. … There isn’t much public empathy for him. … [He] doesn’t resonate with the cash-strapped public."
Andrew stepped back from royal duties in 2019 after his Newsnight interview in which he attempted to address his controversial connection to Epstein. He was also stripped of his honorary military titles.
Before she died in 2022, the queen also removed his honorary leadership of various charities, known as royal patronages, and barred him from using the title "his royal highness" in official settings.
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Prince Andrew (left) announced in 2019 he was stepping back from public duties. (Peter Nicholls/WPA Pool /Getty Images)
The council in the northern city of York voted unanimously to withdraw the prince’s "freedom of the city." The honor was awarded to Andrew in 1987 after the queen made him the Duke of York. He is the first person to be stripped of the status, an honor that dates back to medieval times.
Local leaders have since argued that Andrew should also lose the title of Duke of York. A spokesperson for Andrew declined to comment at the time.
In a lawsuit filed in 2020, Virginia Roberts Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually exploiting her on three occasions in 2001 when she was 17. Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre with a photo of herself as a teen, when she says she was abused by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Prince Andrew, among others. (Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
In 2022, a U.S. judge dismissed the sex abuse lawsuit against Andrew, who settled with Giuffre. The prince made a substantial donation to his accuser’s charity and declared he never meant to malign her character.
Epstein was found dead behind bars in 2019 at age 66. The U.S. attorney in Manhattan prosecuted Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, for helping recruit his underage victims. She was convicted in 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison term.
Andrew was named in previously secret court documents related to Epstein that were unsealed in the new year. It was part of a 2015 lawsuit filed against Maxwell by Giuffre.
Jeffrey Epstein died behind bars in 2019. (New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services/Handout via Reuters)
The records, including transcripts of interviews with some of Epstein’s victims and old police reports, contained reminders that the millionaire had surrounded himself with famous and powerful figures, including a few who have also been accused of misconduct.
The prince has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
