In an interview, Sarah Ferguson all but confirmed the King Charles and Prince Andrew feud over the latter's opulent home, the Royal Lodge. Although many reasons likely surround the monarch's reasoning, one such motivation could be the Duke of York's scandalous past connected to deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
"Given the history of tensions between Prince Andrew and his brother, it's not entirely impossible that King Charles may see this as an opportunity to exert his authority over his brother," Hollywood and royal commentator, and founder of MarkMeets.com, Mark Boardman, tells The Royal Observer.
"While it's possible that King Charles may be motivated by a desire to punish his brother, Prince Andrew, for his past scandals, I think it's more likely that this move is driven by a desire to restore Royal Lodge to its former glory and preserve its historical importance," he adds when citing the King's likely wish that best benefits the Crown.
He continues: "However, the funding here is the issue, and neither parties are likely to be in such a position to invest in the millions that would be required, so it would need to come from King Charles III or the taxpayer."
The King and the Duke of York are currently embroiled in a feud over the 19th-century estate near Windsor Castle. Despite the former trade and investment liaison having lived in the compound since 2003, the monarch is determined to "force him out" as he wants the spread for Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, were gifted the 8-bedroom Frogmore Cottage by the late Queen Elizabeth II as a country home following their May 2018 nuptials. The ex-actress reportedly "despised" the 19th-century dwelling and felt "tricked" by somehow thinking she and Harry were getting the far grander Frogmore House nearby. After 2020's "Megxit," the pair vacated the property after British taxpayers footed a reported 4 million pound renovation of the cottage.
The showbiz expert concludes: "However, I think it's more likely that this is a practical decision aimed at maintaining the royal estate, as opposed to Harry and Meghan's tumultuous exit from royal duties and their strained relationship with the monarchy. Importantly, Frogmore Cottage is a smaller, more manageable property compared to Royal Lodge, making it a more suitable residence for Andrew given the current circumstances."
When asked how the pair would respond when finding out an accused s----- predator would be moving into the house, royal author Gareth Russell told an outlet: "It's hard to know how the Sussexes would react. It was a different set of circumstances in that they had an alternative home they could fund in Montecito. The Duke of York will be staying in Britain and isn't capable of funding an alternative home."
The revolving door of Frogmore Cottage has been largely vacant after Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank reportedly moved out of the home after six months of residency in 2021.
