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 is "losing patience" with "his least favorite brother," Prince Andrew, as the disgraced Duke of York refuses to leave his lavish digs.
The claim was made by British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard, who said the British monarch has long been fed up with his younger brother and wants to relocate him to a smaller home quickly.
"The siege of Royal Lodge, as it has become known, shows no sign of coming to a close and the Prince Andrew debacle rumbles on," Chard told Fox News Digital.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II HAD ‘BLIND SPOT’ FOR PRINCE ANDREW AS JEFFREY EPSTEIN FRIENDSHIP IMPLODED: EXPERT
"I imagine Prince Andrew will stay in Royal Lodge until King Charles’ tolerance pops."
King Charles III (right) is reportedly struggling to evict his younger brother, Prince Andrew (left), who is digging his heels in at Royal Lodge. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"King Charles is losing patience with his least favorite brother, who is a thorn in the king’s side," she claimed. "King Charles was hoping Prince Andrew would come to his senses and move out of Royal Lodge quietly. But it seems Prince Andrew is hanging on to his home for dear life."
"Apart from family, [Andrew] has lost everything else," Chard added.
Chard’s claims came shortly after sources told the U.K. Sunday Times that the king is "losing patience" over his brother’s living arrangements and is "at his wit’s end." The monarch, 75, is adamant on solving "the Andrew problem."
Prince Andrew (pictured here) faced criticism over his friendship with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
According to the outlet, the home is worth $38 million.
The Sun on Sunday recently reported that the king did not renew the contract for the 64-year-old's private security team. It expires in the fall. According to multiple reports, no replacement security detail has been lined up.
The Sun reported that the king, who is battling cancer, has been paying for Andrew’s security at Royal Lodge after the prince lost his police protection in 2022. The security team is said to cost Charles nearly $4 million annually.
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Royal Lodge is seen here in a photo dated December 21, 1942. The Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II's mother, lived in Royal Lodge until her death in 2002 at age 101. (Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace told Fox News Digital they won't comment on "security matters." They didn't immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment regarding the latest report.
Royal experts told Fox News Digital that the king wants Andrew to leave his palatial 31-room home where he resides with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. The property was home to their grandmother, the Queen Mother, until she died in 2002.
King Charles reportedly wants to solve his "Andrew problem" quickly. (Getty Images)
"King Charles realizes that Prince Andrew living in Royal Lodge is not a good look," Chard explained. "Prince Andrew’s reputation is at an all-time low. He lost the respect of the nation. And yet, his ego is at an all-time high. He does not see sense. He has dug his heels and refuses to leave the home he loves, the prestigious Royal Lodge."
A general view of Frogmore Cottage, the former U.K. home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (GOR/Getty Images)
"He is unable to pay the substantial costs associated with Royal Lodge," Chard continued. "He is lucky that he was offered… [the smaller] Frogmore Cottage. Prince Andrew no longer receives money from the royal purse and is struggling financially.
"King Charles has been covering him financially. I feel now he has no alternative but to freeze this support, which in turn, will freeze Prince Andrew out of Royal Lodge."
According to the U.K. Times, Andrew has lived in Royal Lodge since 2004 after he signed a 75-year lease agreement the year before. The property requires an estimated $503,000 annually for upkeep.
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Prince Andrew lives in Royal Lodge with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, above. They share daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. (Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images)
It was reported that the duke, who is "at the brink of eviction," was expected to downsize after his ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The outlet noted that the king would cover his brother’s living expenses if he moved into Frogmore Cottage, the former U.K. home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The king would also provide for Ferguson, the Duchess of York.
Frogmore Cottage remains empty more than a year after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were asked to vacate.
Several royal experts claimed to Fox News Digital that King Charles III promised his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on her deathbed that he would look after his younger brother. (Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
However, Andrew is reportedly "refusing" to downsize.
"King Charles is beyond frustrated," royal expert Hilary Fordwich claimed to Fox News Digital. "Prince 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.
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Queen Elizabeth II is seen here arriving in Westminster Abbey accompanied by Prince Andrew, Duke of York, on March 29, 2022, in London, England. England's longest-reigning monarch died in September of that year at age 96. (Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
"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."
According to the U.K. Times, Charles and Andrew’s ongoing feud has left their siblings "disappointed." They noted that Princess Anne, Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, are "unhappy" with the monarch’s handling of the situation, as well as Ferguson, 64, and her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
"King Charles and Prince Andrew’s relationship is one described by friends as ‘guarded,’ mainly Machiavellian," Fordwich claimed. "’Better to keep one’s friends close and one’s enemies closer.'"
The royal siblings are said to be disappointed by King Charles and Prince Andrew's ongoing feud. (Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
"While he has never enjoyed a close relationship with his brother, the king, for numerous reasons… [They are] different characters," said Fordwich. "There’s an age difference. There’s also the attention and affection their late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, bestowed upon Andrew. But [there’s also] the embarrassment Andrew caused his family, as well as his nation, and the strain upon their late mother."
WATCH: QUEEN ELIZABETH ‘REMAINED INCREDIBLY CLOSE’ TO PRINCE ANDREW ‘RIGHT UP UNTIL HER DEATH,’ ROYAL AUTHOR CLAIMS
Andrew stepped back from royal duties in 2019 amid 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.
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.
Jeffrey Epstein's mugshot circa 2019. The convicted sex offender was found dead on Aug. 10, 2019. He was 66. (Kypros/Getty Images)
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.
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.
Virginia Roberts holds a photo of herself at age 16, when she says Palm Beach multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein began abusing her sexually. (Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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.
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.
"King Charles and Prince Andrew’s relationship is one described by friends as ‘guarded,’ mainly Machiavellian," royal expert Hilary Fordwich claimed to Fox News Digital. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"King Charles finds it a struggle to issue harsh ultimatums to his family," Chard reflected. "He also has the added pressure of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, [and her] words fringing in his ears – to look after Prince Andrew."
"However, there is no love lost between the brothers," said Chard. "They have never been particularly close. I imagine Prince Andrew will stay in Royal Lodge until King Charles’ tolerance pops."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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