Prince Andrew finds funds needed to stay at Royal Lodge as King's patience 'runs out'

Prince Andrew was asked by King Charles to leave the Royal Lodge, but he is said to have found the funds he needs to show he can continue taking care of the property in Windsor

Prince Andrew has raised the funds needed to stay at the Royal Lodge after his brother King Charles cut him off financially, sources have claimed.

The Duke of York lives in the 30-room estate in Windsor Great Park with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and has a lease agreement with the Crown Estate until 2078. Since Andrew stepped down from official royal duties five years ago, he was supported by Charles, but earlier this year the monarch asked his brother to leave the estate, offering him Prince Harry's and Meghan Markle's former home, Frogmore Cottage, as an alternative.

Charles recently also stopped paying for Andrew's security, which is estimated to be around £1million per year, as his patience ran out, sources said. But now, in an unexpected twist, Andrew is said to have convinced Palace authorities that he has enough money to support himself and continue living in his home.

The Royal Lodge was previously the home of the Queen Mother. Andrew has spent nearly £7million renovating and updating the property - but the commercial lease agreement requires him to adhere to a "planned maintenance guide" which means he has to "repair, renew, uphold, clean and keep in repair and where necessary rebuild." This is why he had to prove he had enough money to pay for the repair and upkeep of the property.

A source told The Times: "If Andrew can pay for his own upkeep with legitimate means, then it is not an issue. But the King's patience has run out when it comes to funding his brother's lifestyle in a way that does not fit his status."

According to newspaper, Andrew's money has been approved by Sir Michael Stevens, the keeper of the privy purse, as coming from legitimate sources. Back in 2007, Andrew sold his Sunninghill Park home, which was a wedding president from the Queen in 1986, for £15million.

After Andrew became friends with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, his ex-wife Sarah accepted £15,000 from the disgraced financier - which she later described as a "gigantic error of judgment." In 2022, the Duke and Duchess of York sold a ski chalet they owned in Verbier, Switzerland, and Sarah has since bought a £5million property in central London.

Last weekend, a source told The Sun on Sunday that Andrew insists he has funds to pay for his own security, which is estimated to be around £1million. The source claimed: "Prince Andrew is holding firm and is determined to stay in the Royal Lodge. "He is insistent that he has the funds to pay for his own security, despite the eyewatering seven-figure sum it is reportedly costing him. He is no longer a financial burden on the King and sees no reason why he should have to move from his home."

It comes after royal writer Robert Hardman claimed in the updated version of his book "Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story" - which is set to come out on November 7 - that Charles decided to cut off his brother financially after being urged to do so for months by his advisors. After months of infighting behind the scenes, the King ordered the Keeper of the Privy Purse to sever the disgraced Duke of York's annual personal allowance, as well as his private security.