A major question looms over Prince Andrew as the row over Royal Lodge has reportedly “soured” relations with King Charles, royal experts have said.

The Duke of York signed a 75-year lease with the Crown Estate to live at the property in 2003. The King has however been trying to get his younger brother to leave the £30 million Windsor pad and move to the smaller Frogmore Cottage.

According to biographer Robert Hardman, Queen Elizabeth II was keen to move Andrew out of the property after his fall from grace. It came shortly after he resigned his HRH titles and patronages over his friendship with paedophile businessman Jeffrey Epstein.

As part of Andrew’s lease for Royal Lodge, he has to fund its upkeep. And while he has reportedly spent millions on the property, it is still believed to need another £400,000 worth of repairs.

In another blow for the 64-year-old, his brother has reportedly told the Keeper of the Privy Purse, who looks after the royal finances, to remove his allowance. It leaves Andrew’s main source of income as his modest naval pension.

Speaking on the Palace Confidential podcast, Daily Mail Diary Editor Richard Eden says one major question remains for Andrew’s future at Royal Lodge. He said: “If the King has cut-off this million pounds a year, remember, Prince Andrew doesn’t have a job or an income that we know of, so how is he going to replace that?

“Part of the lease for Royal Lodge involves having to pay for the upkeep but it is a huge palace, where in George VI’s case he lived there with the Queen. The question is, where does the money come from for Andrew to fund it if he is determined to stay.”

Daily Mail Editor-at-Large Charlotte Griffiths added: “I think the King is desperate to flush him out because it’s been dragging on for such a long time. First of all he cut-off the security, then he said you have to pay for the upkeep in order to stay, and Andrew was able to do it.

“Although, recent pictures of it show it looking quite shabby. He’s basically closing loopholes.”

According to royal biographer Robert Hardman, Andrew claims he has the means to pay the bills for Royal Lodge. However, he says the Duke of York’s relationship with his older brother has been strained by the issue.

He said: “All the bills are there and he has to pay them because he has been cut off because the King gave him an ultimatum and the duke played the King’s bluff and lost. The Duke of York says he has independent means and money to pay the bills and he is going to stay there.

“I mean if he can carry on paying the bills himself then he’ll stay there, I mean that’s that’s the way it’ll be, but I think the whole issue has just rather soured relations.”

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