Shock Move by King Charles: cutting Prince Andrew’s allowance sparked fears of royal rift but Sarah Ferguson could play a role
Prince Andrew being cut off by his brother, King Charles, financially amid their ongoing Royal Lodge row, may have sparked a family rift.
However, could Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, play a role in ensuring that this is fixed?
Prince Andrew and King Charles’ Royal Lodge rift
Over the past couple of years, Andrew and Charles have been embroiled in a row regarding the Royal Lodge.
The Duke of York, 64, has been living in the 30-room mansion since 2004. He signed a 75-year lease on the property in 2003.
It is reported that it costs approximately £400,000 per year to maintain the residence.
However, following Andrew stepping down as a working royal in 2019 and his sexual assault civil case scandal in 2022, King Charles has reportedly been piling on the pressure for his brother to vacate the premises.
This is apparently down to the fact that by not working and only relying on his royal allowance, Andrew is struggling to keep up with the maintenance of the house. It was agreed in 2003 that he would regularly maintain the property. If he fell behind or failed to do these things, it would be a breach of the agreement he made 22 years ago.
Fears Charles cutting Andrew off will cause royal family rift
Last year, it was reported that Charles wanted Andrew out of the Royal Lodge after the Duke of York proved that he couldn’t adequately maintain it.
The Duke of York was offered Frogmore Cottage as a new home, however, it’s said that he rejected the offer.
This then led to King Charles reportedly threatening to cut his brother off financially if he didn’t leave. Andrew refused to budge.
According to a report in Vanity Fair in November 2024, the king then followed through on his threats. The Daily Mail seemingly confirmed this news, with a source telling them: “The duke is no longer a financial burden on the king.”
The Vanity Fair report also claimed that the pair were no longer on speaking terms – sparking fears over a potential royal feud. One report in The Times claimed that the “lack of closeness” between the brothers “has matured into outright hostility”.
Sarah Ferguson’s ‘close’ friendship with Queen Camilla
However, it seems as though an unlikely hero could help prevent the family feud from escalating further.
During a chat with The Sunday Times back in December, Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s ex-wife, revealed that she is very close with Queen Camilla.
Despite divorcing in 1996, Sarah and Andrew have remained close friends. They even live in the Royal Lodge together, albeit in separate wings.
Speaking to the publication, Sarah said: “Queen Camilla was close friends with Mum, which is why we’re so close now.”
She then continued. “It’s rather nice, and she reminds me of Mum. I admire the extraordinary support she’s giving this country.
“I want to do as much for the queen as possible, I wish they’d ask me to do more.”
Could Fergie’s close friendship with the queen help prevent Charles from ousting them from the Royal Lodge? It seems to be the hope at this point in time!
