Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson are said to be poised to move out of 30-room Royal Lodge with reports suggesting they could move into separate royal homes
Sarah Ferguson is said to feel she deserves another royal home if she moves out of Royal Lodge with Prince Andrew. The prince is reportedly in discussions about leaving his Royal Lodge home, which he shares with his ex-wife, voluntarily following the furore over the ‘peppercorn’ rent for the Windsor property.
In their exit talks with the Palace, Andrew, 65, is said to have asked to be relocated to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s former Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage. Meanwhile, Fergie is reportedly wanting to move into Adelaide Cottage, another property nearby, currently occupied by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
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William and Kate are due to imminently leave the property to move to the much larger Forest Lodge in Windsor. And according to The Sun, Fergie believes she deserves a royal home to see out her years.
The publication reports that Sarah, who has not being a working royal in almost 30 years since she and Andrew divorced, still feels ‘short-changed’ after her divorce settlement was not as lucrative as the late Princess Diana’s.
If their demands were to be met, it would mean they would be living in separate houses for the first time in years.
A source said: “Incredibly, Sarah has said she wants Adelaide Cottage. Sarah and Andy have lived together at Royal Lodge since 2008 despite being divorced and seen like they are still a married couple.
“It’s incredible that they are willing to go their own separate ways. But it indicates that they have been under immense strain this year and need a break from one another. It’s a fresh start for both.
“Frogmore Cottage is too small for both and Adelaide Cottage is around the corner so they will see each other whenever they want.
But one royal expert has said the supposed demand for two homes will not go down well with the King.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail: “If they think that having two homes – which the King I’m sure won’t agree to – is likely to solve things, they’re still living in a rather weird fantasy world. I’m surprised that Sarah Ferguson has managed these comebacks. There’s no comeback now, she’s in disgrace.
“There’s no reason at all that she should [have her own Crown Estate] home. This is an idea that Andrew has had to give up 30-room Royal Lodge. Well, let’s have two. I don’t see it working. If it was adopted, there’d be outrage… she’s not been a working royal since 1996 – the idea that should get anything on the Crown Estate… it doesn’t matter what she wants, she is getting out of touch with reality as he has so obviously been.”
It all comes as it emerged that MPs could debate Andrew’s conduct, his 30-room mansion and the possibility of stripping him of his dukedom.
The Government has so far refused to allocate time in the House of Commons for MPs to discuss Andrew’s situation because the royal family wants Parliament to focus on “important issues”.
But the issue could be raised on one of the days when ministers are not in control of the parliamentary timetable. A Liberal Democrat source indicated to the Sunday Times that the party could be prepared to use one of its opposition days to allow MPs to discuss Andrew’s behaviour.
Andrew attempted to draw a line under years of controversy, following allegations he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre, by giving up his dukedom and other honours ahead of the publication of Giuffre’s posthumous memoirs.
But the prince, who strenuously denies the allegations, was instead swamped by criticism that has focused on the property he has lived in effectively rent-free since 2003. Although Andrew has given up using his Duke of York title, only a law passed by Parliament can formally remove it.
