Following his retirement from official royal duties in 2022 and the associated loss of publicly funded police protection, Prince Andrew’s (64) private security service was privately funded by King Charles III (75). Now there are reports that the King intends to dismiss the Duke of York’s security team. According to “The Sun on Sunday,” the security forces have been informed that their services will no longer be required in November.
This might have significant effects, as Mail Online’s additional reports from the British Sunday newspaper indicate: It could also mean “that the Duke has to leave the royal box,” an insider is quoted as saying. Charles and Andrew are said to be staying together at the Balmoral estate in Scotland this weekend.
Does Prince Andrew have to vacate the Royal Lodge?
Following the publication of hundreds of pages of court documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, pressure on Andrew is mounting. Earlier this year, it was subsequently reported that the son of Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022) and Prince Philip (1921–2021) had turned down an offer to move from Royal Lodge to nearby Frogmore Cottage.
It is said that in 2003, the Duke of York signed a 75-year lease for the mansion. It was also reported in January that if Andrew wished to stay in the 30-room establishment in Windsor Great Park, he would have to pay the multi-million-pound security fees himself.
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The Epstein scandal has far-reaching consequences for the king’s brother
Andrew’s name reportedly appeared over 70 times in the legal documents about the abuse scandal surrounding Jeffrey Epstein (1953–2019). However, the Metropolitan Police stated at the time that no new investigations had been launched. Prince Andrew, however, vehemently denies the allegations and paid millions to Virginia Giuffre (41) in 2022 to settle a corresponding civil case out of court.
In May 2020, the disgraced prince resigned from his royal duties. In January 2022, Andrew also had to give up his titles and patronages and has since then no longer been called “His Royal Highness.”.
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