King Charles may have to pay his brother “compensation” should he make Prince Andrew leave his royal residence. Reports earlier this week emerged saying Andrew feared the monarch might “even turn off the utilities” to get him to leave the Royal Lodge.

The prince currently shares the multi-milion pound mansion with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York. However, it was suggested the king could aim to move his brother to Frogmore Cottage.

The “eviction” would come as Prince Andrew’s annual allowance of £249,000 was reportedly cut. The Mail on Sunday said it would however mean the Prince and Princess of Wales could move into the property.

Prince Andrew meanwhile would have to move to nearby Frogmore Cottage. An source told the paper that Andrew was in “low spirits” and “refusing to budge”.

They added:“He is so fragile. He’s refusing to see anybody. This has been his family home for the past 20 years. Is it really sensible to kick him out?”

Read more: Prince Andrew digs his heels in as he ‘refuses’ to move from Royal Lodge

There does however remain an air of mystery surrounding what the King said to his sibling about his accommodation. But The Telegraph reports Andrew has told friends he has no intention of moving, because he is only 20 years into a 75-year lease signed in 2003.

A source told the paper: “His position has always been that he has a home of some 20 years with a 75-year lease on it in exchange for the £12 million he spent from the proceeds of Sunninghill Park to renovate it. It’s really quite straightforward. His personal funding of those renovations meant there was no cost to the royal finances and certainly no cost to the taxpayer”

Sunninghill Park, the Duke and Duchess of York’s marital home, was sold for £15 million in 2007. And, should the pair be “evicted” from the Royal Lodge, it could end up costing the King and his family money.

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This is because an early break in the lease would reportedly see the property revert to the Crown Estate, says the Telegraph. This would mean Andrew would be entitled to a small amount of compensation for the refurbishment costs, because 25 years is the cut-off point after which no compensation is payable.

The paper claims alientating Andrew could cost the King in other ways too, especially since Andrew has taken a more prevelant role in Royal life after stepping back following a 2019 Newsnight interview where he was quizzed about his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

Since then though, he has worn military uniform at the Queen’s lying-in-state, despite not having any royal or military patronages. And he wore ceremonial robes at the Coronation.

Meanwhile daughters Beatrice and Eugenie have been carrying out charity engagements on behalf of the family.

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