FAMILY FEUD
Prince Andrew seen for first time since King Charles ‘threatened to sever all ties over crumbling Royal Lodge row’
The stand-off between King Charles and the Duke of York has been dubbed the 'siege of Royal Lodge'
PRINCE Andrew has been spotted for the first time since King Charles is said to have threatened to sever all times over the crumbling Royal Lodge row.
The Duke of York, 64, was seen this morning behind the wheel of his Range Rover driving from his Royal Lodge home in Windsor.
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It comes after Andrew’s older brother, King Charles, is said to be warning that life will become “uncomfortable” if the disgraced royal refuses to leave his 30-room mansion.
The Monarch, 75, is believed to have increased his efforts this year to evict Andrew from his home which he shares with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson with insiders branding the stand-off the "siege of Royal Lodge".
According to sources at the Palace, the King, who is funding Andy's life, could "reconsider the levels of support he is willing to provide" if he refuses all offers of a new home.
The shamed Duke, who will never return to public duty after paying millions to settle an abuse case with a Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking victim, has refused for 18 months the King's pleas to move out.
The Sun exclusively revealed Andrew had rejected the chance to move into Frogmore Cottage last year after Harry and Meghan were served with eviction.
Andrew is still refusing to budge pointing out that he is in possession of a 75-year lease.
But a friend told The Times: "It can be done tidily or untidily. It can be done with grace and dignity or it can be forced upon him. It’s all rather sad.
"But as things stand, life at Royal Lodge is set to become increasingly cold and uncomfortable for the duke.
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"The only question now is when he will realise that he has become a prisoner of his own pride - and that handing back the keys will afford him far greater comfort, and the continued support of his family."
It comes as Charles is said to be unwilling to keep paying out of his own pocket to fund Andy's lavish lifestyle.
King Charles ‘threatens to sever ties completely with Prince Andrew’ over Royal Lodge row – but duke ‘refuses to go’
Sources close to the monarch claim he could be forced to "reconsider the levels of support he is willing to provide" if the so-called siege of Royal Lodge continues.
The disgraced Duke's police protection was removed when he stepped down from public duty amid the Epstein scandal.
But Charles stepped in to pick up his multi-million pounds private security bill.
The crisis shows no sign of going away after Netflix screened its hit drama Scoop detailing Andy's 'car crash' Newsnight interview.
And there is yet another depiction of his shame in an Amazon series on his downfall where Andy is played by actor Michael Sheen.
The scandal-hit father of two has kept out of the public since he caused controversy leading the family into a service for late Greek King Constantine at Windsor Castle in February in the absence of the cancer-hit King.
But last month he was seen playing golf without a care in the world with pals in Scotland.
DUKE'S DISREPAIR
PRINCE Andrew's Royal Lodge home is "crumbling
New pictures show crumbling paintwork and cracks forming on the outside of the the 19th-century, Grade II-listed property.
He has reportedly already poured £7.5million into repairs but sources say he cannot continue to meet the £400,000 a year bill.
The Sun reported last year the home currently needs an estimated £2million in repairs with the duke reportedly paying £200,000 for roof repairs.
Very little work has been carried out on the property since Andrew spent £7million on repairs when he moved in after the 2002 death of the Queen Mother.
A source told the Mirror that Andrew had a clear responsibility for repairs after cutting the deal with his brother.
They said: "Prince Andrew was told he must take charge of the necessary renovations or he will have no cause to stay in the house."
The source said the King was greatly concerned about the state of the home.
"There is no doubt the King will be alarmed at the true state of the residence after the duke assured him everything was in hand."
His finances are said to be in trouble as he can no longer work and it is unclear if he received any major windfall from his late mother's will when she died in September 2022.
But he and ex-wife Fergie got to keep the corgi's and he pocketed millions of pounds from the sale of his chalet in the Swiss Alps.
And the late Queen helped pay his multi-million pound out-of-court settlement to sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre.
Sources close to Prince Andrew insist he will not leave Royal Lodge citing a 75-year lease on the property that does not expire until June 15, 2078.
Friends of the Duke last night he has a "cast iron" lease and sees no reason to give up his home he has lived in for the past 20 years.
A source familiar moves to force Andy out told The Times: "The King's kindness is not without limit and there is a very good option for Andrew to move into Frogmore Cottage, recently vacated by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which also has the benefit of being within the Windsor Castle security cordon hence reducing the need for alternative round-the-clock security for Royal Lodge.
"He is taking longer than desirable to recognise the reality of the situation, even though it is clearly the most sensible course of action.
"If he doesn't agree to move to a property better suited to his needs, then the King may have to reconsider the levels of support he is willing to provide."
'There is no way back'
Prince Andrew's reputation is damaged beyond repair and he will never be able to engineer a return to public life, according to one of Britain's top PR gurus.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede, who runs East of Eden PR agency, called the shamed royal "deluded" for thinking he could ever return to royal duties and urged him to give up and 'enjoy his life' in exile.
It follows the release of Scoop - a Netflix movie based on the 2019 interview he gave to Newsnight.
Nick said: "There is no way back for him.
"I think you know this perpetual idea that he could still be back. Nobody cares. He hasn't got fans.
"There's nobody out there who's going 'We want to see Prince Andrew', not one single person. I think he has to realise that.
"But I think it's going to take a long, long time for him to actually understand. It's very deluded.
"In my opinion, the best thing that he could do is just enjoy his life. He's got gorgeous daughters. He has a great relationship with Fergie, he has a lovely house.
"Just live a quiet life."
Reflecting on the interview five years ago - the fallout of which saw Andrew step back from royal duties "for the foreseeable future" - Nick compared the fallout to Frost vs Nixon and said he would have urged him not to do it.
He said: "If I had been advising him, I would say, go quiet, be quiet, just go to ground. You know you're a prince.
"Enjoy the life that you lead, but do not open this can of worms, because that's what it is.
"There was no admission that a relationship with somebody like Epstein was terribly toxic.
"There was no idea that there were loads of victims of trafficking whose lives were completely ruined by Epstein.
"He didn't seem to think that the association he had with that man was anything but positive.
"I think his worst gaffe was obviously being in that interview and agreeing to it in the first place, for not realising that he's actually going to be interviewed by a very, very good journalist who is going to ask him questions which he might not like.
"But I think what this has done is really shown how archaic Prince Andrew is in his opinions and thoughts.
"Read the room. He's never read a room at all."
Another acquaintance who has visited Royal Lodge told the newspaper: "It's really rather sad but if it's a case of who will blink first then Andrew is going to dig in. He ain't going anywhere.
"He has had a stay of execution with Sarah and the King's illnesses and he will be hoping that Charles won't want to be seen as vindictive by turfing him out."
The Duchess of York, who despite divorcing Andy 30 years ago still lives in Royal Lodge, has recently been fighting breast and skin cancer.
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Palace sources have insisted Prince Andrew "remains the King's brother" and is welcome at family events but will never return to public duty.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman previously refused to comment.
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