Prince Andrew, Duke of York Current Events 7: February 2015

[SirGyamfi1]

Originally Posted by Curryong

Andrew signed a 75 year lease on Royal Lodge in 2003, and has reputedly spent around seven million pounds on maintenance and improvements to the building and grounds in the two decades since. Is King Charles going to reimburse him for that?

I think you should check out Marlene Eilers Koenig’s blog on that. You will probably get your answer there. I’m sure there will be discussions on compensation for the refurb. She’s made a post about it along with the Frogmore situation.

[SirGyamfi1]

Originally Posted by yukari

But that's the thing, right? Being the heir to the throne comes with the privilege. It's the reality of life, some people just born into privilege.

Take Hugh Grosvenor for example. How much his wealth he earned on his own, not by winning birth lottery of being born as the only son of the 6th Duke of Westminster? Technically the British public didn't elect Rishi Sunak to be their PM and his position comes with the privilege to call No 10 Downing Street as his residence for him to live and entertain his guest for as long as he is in the position, should he gives up his private house(s?) and wealth because of optic since the citizens of the country he's leading is struggling with living cost and homelessness?

I'm sure if Andrew (or Harry) were the heir, he'd have the same privilege as William now.

The thing with your example(s) is that Rishi in particular wasn’t born into great wealth, he actually worked and has qualifications from going into higher education something that Andrew lacks. He’s much more privileged now because he’s married well (his wife was born into wealth and much richer than him) and is in the highest rank in government as Prime minister.
With the current Duke of Westminster, he’s obviously born into privilege at the highest strata for generations, but he actually has a job with a company not related to his family’s real estate business and isn’t a flashy personality, he’s very private naturally given his situation. Plus his sisters enjoy in the family wealth because they have trust funds and received dowries from their father when they got married, but they are generally private. Plus Hugh is educated and went to Uni unlike Harry and Andrew. Harry and Andrew are very privileged, both of them are just too spoilt for their own good in different ways.

[Moonmaiden23]

Originally Posted by SirGyamfi1

How does Charles necessarily live “a lavish lifestyle”? He’s the King, the days of junior lines and cadet lines living lavishly ended a long time ago unless you have massive trust funds and businesses that make good money for you. What petty things have been done to the York girls?

Charles refusing to allow the two young girls to bring a date to the dinner dance he hosted the night of William and Kate's wedding comes immediately to mind. A guest spotted poor Beatrice dancing alone.

Meanwhile Pippa Middleton was not forced to come stag so obviously it wasn't a budget issue.

It's alway stuck in my mind as unnecessary and...Petty.

As far as how Charles leads his personal life we will agree to disagree.

[SirGyamfi1]

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

Charles refusing to allow the two young girls to bring a date to the dinner dance he hosted the night of William and Kate's wedding comes immediately to mind. A guest spotted poor Beatrice dancing alone.

Meanwhile Pippa Middleton was not forced to come stag so obviously it wasn't a budget issue.

It's alway stuck in my mind as unnecessary and...Petty.

As far as how Charles leads his personal life we will agree to disagree.

I haven’t heard of this at all, as to why the girls weren’t allowed to bring dates to the dinner dance of William and Kate hosted by Charles. Well to be fair in some little extent, the York girls vs the Cambridges don’t really share much of the same set of friends. I don’t understand what you meant about Pippa? Can you kindly explain that? I don’t think he foresaw that or wanted to have someone see Beatrice dancing alone (how embarrassing). I just think he’s not close to the York girls. I can’t say much on that.

[Moonmaiden23]

Not sure what there is to explain. Pippa was permitted to bring a date, her then boyfriend Alex Loudon.

The York sisters had boyfriends and were not allowed to bring them

It was very thoroughly reported upon at the time.

ETA: I don't care a jot how close William is/isn't to his cousins. It was inexplicably mean spirited and as usual they both took it on the chin without complaining.

I would have left directly after dinner rather than be compelled to dance alone because everyone else had dates. Embarrassing indeed.

[miss whirley]

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

Not sure what there is to explain. Pippa was permitted to bring a date, her then boyfriend Alex Loudon.

The York sisters had boyfriends and were not allowed to bring them

It was very thoroughly reported upon at the time.

ETA: I don't care a jot how close William is/isn't to his cousins. It was inexplicably mean spirited and as usual they both took it on the chin without complaining.

I would have left directly after dinner rather than be compelled to dance alone because everyone else had dates. Embarrassing indeed.

There's a big difference between bride's sister (maid of honor) and the groom's cousins he isn't close to. William didn't let his Spencer cousins bring their bfs/gfs either. Uncle Gary's wife wasn't invited. Fergie wasn't invited. Holly Branson was invited but not her boyfriend or brother.

Peter got to bring is wife and Zara got to bring her fiancé, if B&E had been engaged Dave and Jack would have likely got an invite too. Expecting B&E to get maid of honor perks over the Spencer cousins isn't very realistic.

[soapstar]

Let’s get back to Prince Andrew’s current events, please.

[Athena41]

I don't think Andrew needs such a large home he no longer has any royal duties; the girls are married they have their own homes and Sarah has a new home in London which she may move into. It's possible the King is restructuring the estate's while slimming down the family to save costs. We really don't know the state of the Queens finances when she passed it would have all been left to Charles and given the size of Balmore and Sandringham the upkeep would be enormous also there are other working family members he may be financially supporting.

[Lilyflo]

Originally Posted by Athena41

I don't think Andrew needs such a large home he no longer has any royal duties; the girls are married they have their own homes and Sarah has a new home in London which she may move into. It's possible the King is restructuring the estate's while slimming down the family to save costs.

No, he doesn't need to live in such a large mansion but if he could afford to maintain it, he could probably stay there in accordance with his lease. It appears the problem has arisen due to Andrew's imminent loss of income from the monarch (as you say to save costs), which might prevent him from staffing and maintaining a property of 30 rooms and 100 acres.

Some people have queried why his sister Anne and brother Edward are able to live in grand properties if Andrew can't but Anne's estate is privately owned (a wedding gift) and the costs of maintaining it are partly or wholly offset by event hosting and farming. Edward's property is leased from the Crown Estates and he pays an annual rent to live there. Presumably, as both the Wessexes are working royals, unlike Andrew, they'll continue to receive an income from the king but I wouldn't be surprised to see them downsizing in future.

[Granada]

What a conundrum. For Andrew and Sarah, too.....So unnecessary too, had Andrew simply not kept reaching for the moon and expecting that "Mummy" would always be there to fix things.....

I keep thinking back in the days when Andrew and Sarah first married. The Queen and Philip were going to give them a "wedding gift" of a substantial House-Estate. As they had for Princess Ann and Mark when they married.

They however ultimately decided build a new mansion in 1987 in the Sunninghill area near Windsor. This WAS quite the house. 12 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms and 6 reception rooms, stables, tennis court, gardens and pool. Brand spanking new !

Its design however was mocked as looking to Americanized and laughingly called South York, after the Dallas TV Shows house called SouthFork.

Had Andrew been smart, not seeking a bigger, more prestigious trophy home like "Royal Lodge" and kept that House-Estate, he wouldn't be in the bind he is now. He owned it free and clear, as does Princess Anne own Gatcombe Park.

Why he was EVER allowed to let that Sunninghill Park basically rot away is a disgrace. That never should have been allowed to happen. In less than 20 years (!) it was a decrepit mess. The pictures on line don't lie. Built in 1987 and sold as a tear down in 2007. What shocking waste. Did Andrew even seem to care about that ? Nope, and in a dodgy deal sold it for 3 million OVER the asking price ! Nice !

Now, it appears that he is being forced out of Royal Lodge. Where he figured, according the lease he would have for life.
To an admittedly much less grand house. Not even a pool.
Everything downsized. Staff too. I'm wondering if there was a fulltime cook and maid staff at Royal Lodge. I'd bet yes.

So there is going to be BIG, BIG changes in Andrews lifestyle *IF* He does move into Frogmore. Allegedly too, Andrew quarters were in one wing, while Sarah's were in another.

Not being worked out behind the scenes either. Its ALL out in public, with talk shows salivating over it and many articles being written about it. That must be hard for such an entitled and arrogant jerk like Andrew to take.

Is karma paying a visit ? Or just Andrew's hubris finally did him in.....

[Moonmaiden23]

Great comments and I agree with all of them particularly regarding the huge waste that was Sunninghill Park.


Even so, I think Andrew has paid his karmic debt. He has been stripped of every worldly honor. He- along- with his Sussex nephew- are the only current members of the BRF to have put their physical lives at risk for their country...and yet denied the privilege of wearing their uniforms at the funeral of HMQ while others who hadn't lifted a military battle finger were encouraged to strut around in uniform.

I personally found it confusing. What did that actually accomplish practically speaking other than public humiliation?

Now he is being forced out of the home left to him by his grandmother which I suspect has been Charles' plan for years.

All of this because he was accused of a crime that he was never convicted of let alone proven to be true.

And because he is not a likeable personality.

So...what next after he is forced out of his home? What new humiliation needs to be visited upon Prince Andrew? When will enough be enough for his many detractors?

[Toledo]

Question, is he allowed to visit or move to the USA or, would he be placed under custody on the spot?

[Duc_et_Pair]

There is no any hindrance for the Duke of York to travel to the USA.
The agreement with Ms Giuffre means there is no case anymore for Justice.

[Lilyflo]

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

Now he is being forced out of the home left to him by his grandmother which I suspect has been Charles' plan for years.

I've edited my post as I was muddled up as to which thread I was in!

[Mirabel]

Originally Posted by Granada

Why he was EVER allowed to let that Sunninghill Park basically rot away is a disgrace. That never should have been allowed to happen. In less than 20 years (!) it was a decrepit mess. The pictures on line don't lie. Built in 1987 and sold as a tear down in 2007. What shocking waste. Did Andrew even seem to care about that ? Nope, and in a dodgy deal sold it for 3 million OVER the asking price ! Nice !

I've never understood what the problem was with Sunninghill?
Yes, the design was widely criticized, but surely Andrew approved that design before it was built?

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

Now he is being forced out of the home left to him by his grandmother which I suspect has been Charles' plan for years.

I hate to let facts get in the way, but Andrew was not left Royal Lodge by his grandmother. His grandmother had it as as grace and favour home, by virtue of her being the dowager Queen. Andrew (or the Queen, on his behalf) paid for the lease on Royal Lodge in an arms length transaction.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Mirabel

I've never understood what the problem was with Sunninghill?
Yes, the design was widely criticized, but surely Andrew approved that design before it was built?

I think once Royal Lodge became available, Andrew preferred to live there rather than Sunninghill. It was a much more grand house that Sunninghill Park, with history, and within the confines of Windsor Great Park.

Also, if I am not mistaken, the lease on Royal Lodge, along with the cost of refurbishing it cost Andrew £7-8m, and he sold Sunninghill Park for £15m, giving him a nice nest egg. Some of those funds could have been used towards the ski chalet many years later.

[Hallo girl]

Originally Posted by muriel

I hate to let facts get in the way, but Andrew was not left Royal Lodge by his grandmother. His grandmother had it as as grace and favour home, by virtue of her being the dowager Queen. Andrew (or the Queen, on his behalf) paid for the lease on Royal Lodge in an arms length transaction.

Thank you Muriel, I am not sure if all the posters fully appreciate the situation with royal homes. What is owned by the monarch, what is crown estate, there is a difference.

Once again lazy reporters state homes and sometimes jewellery as being left to somebody. That is not how it works.

[Hallo girl]

There has been no confirmation that Andrew has been asked to move, only rumours. His mother made a payment to him to subsidise his lifestyle, if the King should withdraw that well he might need to move.

If he cannot afford to run it he might need to leave, and that has nothing to do with his past.

I remember posting quite a while ago , cannot recall which thread that I thought William wanted Royal Lodge and I was shot down. Lets see what happens.

The truth is Andrew is the brother of the King and just the son of the Late Queen.

[Moonmaiden23]

Originally Posted by muriel

I hate to let facts get in the way, but Andrew was not left Royal Lodge by his grandmother. His grandmother had it as as grace and favour home, by virtue of her being the dowager Queen. Andrew (or the Queen, on his behalf) paid for the lease on Royal Lodge in an arms length transaction.

So....you are saying that when his grandmother died it was more like Andrew just out of the wild blue yonder decided that Royal Lodge was right up his alley?

And since it's a grace and favor property why is it reported everywhere except Architectural Digest that the late queen wanted him to take over the lease when she died? How did her name come into the story at all?

Wasn't she living at Clarence House when she died?

ETA: Hallo girl, I bet my next month Sephora budget that William wants RL for himself...and that he will get it.