Copyright dailymail
Prince Andrew may face the humiliating spectacle of MPs lining to criticise his lifestyle and his living arrangements in the House of Commons. Plans are underway to give Parliament an opportunity to address the scandal surrounding the King's brother, including his friendship with notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The Prince's rent-free occupation of Royal Lodge in Windsor for more than 20 years and the possibility of officially stripping him of his York dukedom would also be addressed. Although Andrew has given up using his Duke of York title, only a law passed by Parliament can formally remove it. The Government has so far refused to allocate time in the House of Commons for MPs to discuss Andrew's situation because the royal family wants Parliament to focus on 'important issues'. But the issue could be raised on one of the days when ministers are not in control of the parliamentary timetable. A Liberal Democrat source indicated to the Sunday Times that the party could be prepared to use one of its opposition days to allow MPs to discuss Andrew's behaviour. It comes as Andrew faced mounting pressure to quit Royal Lodge before the Prince and Princess of Wales move into their nearby 'forever home'. Royal sources told the Mail on Sunday that William and Kate want to move into Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park before Bonfire Night. The eight-bedroom home is just over a mile from Royal Lodge, where Andrew has lived for more than 20 years, and William is said to want his disgraced uncle out of his 30-room mansion by the time they move in. Negotiations over the prince's living arrangements are taking place on a daily basis amid a public outcry after it emerged he only pays a 'peppercorn rent' on the lavish property. Andrew cannot legally be evicted from Royal Lodge under the terms of his 'cast iron' lease but Palace insiders believe he will inevitably have to move out because of the scale of public anger. The King's brother is said to be in talks with Charles' representatives but is reluctant to give up his residence of more than 20 years, with the sticking points said to be the location of his new home and financial compensation for funds spent on the lodge. Lib Dem MP Layla Moran said the party would look at 'all options' to trigger a Commons debate, telling Times Radio: 'This is about public accountability for someone who shouldn't have had taxpayer money paying their rent at a time when I can barely afford to pay my own rent, let alone subsidise Prince Andrew's.' She pointed out that the £8.5million paid by the Prince before moving in amounted to a rent of £2,000 a month over the time he has been in the 30-room mansion. 'I don't accept that that's allowed, that's acceptable,' she added. 'I just don't, for a non-working royal who is a national disgrace, I don't feel that taxpayers should be footing that bill.' William and Kate are said to be keen to use the half-term break to prepare their children George, 12, Charlotte, ten, and Louis, seven, for their house move. A source said: 'Catherine shudders at the thought of living so close to Royal Lodge while Prince Andrew is still in it. William wants him gone before they start to move in next week. It's not about what Andrew doesn't want to do anymore. It's about what he's going to be told to do.' The Waleses moved from an apartment in Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage, which is just over three miles from Forest Lodge, in August 2022. The MoS has learnt that they had previously wanted to move to Royal Lodge – but Andrew insisted on staying. Andrew has attempted to draw a line under years of controversy, 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 strenuously denies the allegations, was instead swamped by criticism that has focused on the property he has lived in effectively rent-free since 2003. The ability of MPs to discuss matters relating to the royal family is constrained under the Commons' procedures. The guide to the rules, known as Erskine May, states that 'unless the discussion is based upon a substantive motion, drawn in proper terms, reflections must not be cast in debate upon the conduct of the sovereign, the heir to the throne, or other members of the royal family'. With the Government unwilling to table a motion to discuss Andrew due to the wishes of the royal family, an opposition day debate could be a way for MPs to speak out. A Liberal Democrat source said: 'We need to explore all options, including an opposition day debate, to ensure Parliament can scrutinise this properly, from Prince Andrew's residence at Royal Lodge to his dukedom. 'The first thing we need is proper transparency and accountability – that's why we have called for the Crown Estate and Prince Andrew to give evidence under oath in Parliament.' The Lib Dems have one opposition day left this parliamentary session, but no date has yet been allocated for it. The source added: 'We'll take a decision on what is most important for the national interest as and when the government tells us when it will be.' The Lib Dem insider indicated that they hoped the King would be willing to take action. 'It's right that we're led by the King on this, and if Parliament does have to act we hope it can be be hand-in-hand with the Palace,' the source said.
