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King Charles is risking making a 'serious mistake' if he were to agree to Prince Andrew's reported 'brazen' demand over his living arrangements, a royal expert has claimed. After days of mounting pressure, Andrew is said to be in talks with Charles’ representatives about leaving Royal Lodge voluntarily after the furore over the 'peppercorn' rent for the 30-room mansion, where he has lived for more than 20 years. This came as the BBC reported that Andrew hosted Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein at Royal Lodge, the private home where he lives rent free, ahead of his daughter Princess Beatrice’s masked ball 18th birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle in 2006. The BBC said it has matched the trees and patio wall in a previously published image of Epstein, Maxwell and Weinstein to other pictures of Royal Lodge. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE Andrew attempted to draw a line under years of controversy over his links to Epstein and following allegations he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre, by giving up his dukedom and other honours ahead of the publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoirs. But the prince, who has always strenuously denied the allegations, was instead swamped by criticism that has focused on the property he has lived in effectively rent-free since 2003. He and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have reportedly agreed to leave the Royal Lodge in exchange for two separate residences, according to reports. Andrew has reportedly requested the former home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Frogmore Cottage. Meanwhile, Sarah, who also lives at Royal Lodge, may relocate to Adelaide Cottage after it is vacated by the Prince and Princess of Wales next month. William, Kate, and their children – Prince George , Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – are due to move to Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom Grade II-listed residence in Windsor Great Park. If these reports are true, royal expert Jennie Bond said the request for two properties is 'an audacious demand'. The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror : "I think it would be a serious mistake if the King and the Palace agreed to such a brazen demand. "You have to ask yourself whether Andrew and Sarah are completely deaf to public opinion. There is genuine outrage from the public and, indeed several prominent members of Parliament about the fact that they have lied about their friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. "And yet they seem to think they are entitled to not just one, but two, magnificent homes in the extremely royal surroundings of Windsor Great Park, almost in the shadow of the Castle itself. "It is an audacious demand —and one that the Palace should outright reject. Andrew and Sarah are grown-ups with their own money and resources. They should be made to fend for themselves and not rely on the King and the goodwill of the Crown Estate." It comes after friends of the pair reportedly stated Sarah “feels like she deserves a royal home to see out her years”, The Sun said. The King has long been said to have tried to encourage his younger brother, who lives in Royal Lodge with Sarah, to move out. Charles reportedly first offered Frogmore Cottage to Andrew in January 2023 after Harry and Meghan moved out, but the former duke turned it down. And Jennie added: "All of a sudden, Frogmore Cottage – which has been repeatedly rejected by Andrew - has apparently become desirable. "But, with its five bedrooms and £2.4 million makeover (paid for in the end by Harry and Meghan) it’s not enough for the disgraced couple. Sarah, it seems, now wants her own place and has reportedly settled on William and Catherine’s soon-to-be-vacated home, Adelaide Cottage. "Andrew is reported to have been offered the use of a plush Palace in Abu Dhabi, with all the trappings of royalty that he so hankers after. Most people would think that the further away from the UK he goes, the better." The controversy surrounding Prince Andrew continued to grow as the King was heckled during an engagement in the Midlands yesterday (Monday). Charles was a few metres away from a man in the crowd who asked a string of questions including “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” during the visit to Lichfield Cathedral.
