King Charles officially terminated his brother Prince Andrew’s annual allowance, estimated at $1.3 million, as tensions within the royal family escalated, according to an updated biography of the new king. In “Charles III: New King. New Court.
The Inside Story,” author Robert Hardman reveals that the relationship between the king and his younger brother is at a historic low, mainly due to Charles’ tightening of the royal finances.
Charles has instructed the Keeper of the Privy Purse—essentially the monarchy’s finance director—to eliminate Andrew’s allowance and cease funding his private security detail. “The duke is no longer a financial burden on the King,” a source disclosed to the Daily Mail.
This financial move follows Charles’ insistence that Andrew vacate the 30-room estate known as Royal Lodge in Windsor. Despite these demands, Andrew has resisted leaving and moving into Frogmore Cottage, the former UK home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Frogmore, which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent $2.8 million renovating, is significantly smaller, with only five bedrooms. Andrew’s daughter Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, previously leased the property.
Sources close to the royal family indicated that had Queen Elizabeth II lived longer, she would have compelled Andrew to move to Frogmore. The late monarch, who passed away in September 2022 at 96, was often perceived as lenient toward Andrew, who was widely believed to be her favourite child.
Elizabeth was acutely aware of what she termed “the Andrew issue,” referring to the numerous scandals that plagued her son, particularly his association with the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Following a disastrous 2019 interview with Newsnight, in which Andrew failed to apologise for his ties to Epstein, he stepped down from his role as a senior working member of the royal family. He lost his patronages and military associations and was prohibited from using the style of ‘HRH’ (His Royal Highness).
While it’s uncertain whether Queen Elizabeth would have been able to enforce a move, her chances may have been better than King Charles’, who has struggled to convince Andrew to leave Royal Lodge. Andrew has long maintained that he holds a long-term lease on the mansion, which once belonged to his grandmother, the Queen Mother, and has reportedly informed the king’s advisers that they have no right to evict him.
With Andrew’s refusal to vacate, King Charles has “effectively called his brother’s bluff,” according to Hardman. Although the king may not be able to remove Andrew from the estate physically, he can withdraw the financial support necessary for its upkeep and security.
Andrew has claimed that he possesses “other sources of income” tied to international trade, which he asserts will sustain his current lifestyle. However, some courtiers are sceptical of his claims. “If he can find the money, then that is up to him, but if not, he will find that the king does not have unlimited patience,” an insider warned.
While Andrew may have succeeded in remaining at Royal Lodge, this victory could prove costly, as his stubbornness has reportedly strained family relationships.
Friends of the family have noted that the ongoing tensions within the royal family have “soured” due to Andrew’s refusal to comply with Charles’ wishes.
When contacted for a statement, Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the contents of the biography.
