Prince Andrew has reportedly been offered a free palace in Abu Dhabi by the ruling family, but a royal expert has claimed the ‘shameless’ prince may turn down the opportunity
A Royal biographer has suggested that an extraordinary offer to relocate to a palace in Abu Dhabi would suit Prince Andrew’s lifestyle perfectly, but it may not be enough to convince him.
Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, believes the “shameless” scandal-plagued prince might turn down the chance to start afresh in the Middle East due to family ties.
Speaking on TalkTV, presenter Samara Gill asked the expert: “I was reading that potentially, he might move to Abu Dhabi because someone is offering him a palace there. I think he did have a place in the Middle East at one point or another, correct me if I’m wrong?”
Explaining why Andrew might opt to stay put, Lownie responded: “Yes, the royal family there have offered him a palace in Abu Dhabi which is constantly stocked ready for him to go.
“And he often stays there, he goes to the UAE quite a lot. But I think he wants to be close to his children.”
Nevertheless, Lownie suggested the Gulf would be an “obvious place” for Andrew, who is father to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, as he claimed the prince would face less media scrutiny there, while enjoying glorious weather and golf.
He continued: “It would be a pretty attractive life for someone like him. So he has lots of options and I think this is why the King needs to be quite tough.
“But it is extraordinary that we can’t get rid of him because of this lease. And he has no shame. He is going to stick in there as long as he can. It is all transactional and he is going to hang out for the best deal he can get.”
Sources have revealed that Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, offered Andrew free use of one of his Royal palaces.
The waterfront estate, surrounded by palm trees and sand dunes, boasts a lavish residence spanning more than 1,500 square metres, nestled within a high-security enclave.
The palace, complete with personal chefs and staff, is typically reserved for VIPs, featuring six en suite air conditioned bathrooms, a private cinema, and a gym with a pool.
Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson currently call the 30-room Royal Lodge mansion in Windsor their home.
However, the duo haven’t paid rent in two decades, and Andrew has reportedly been discussing with King Charles’s aides about relinquishing the property that is leased until June 2078.
Lownie suggested that the Royal Family might be prepared to further distance themselves from Andrew following a month filled with additional allegations linking him to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
His ongoing fallout from his association with Epstein resulted in him stepping back from Royal duties and losing several patronages.
Despite recently confirming he would no longer use his Duke title, he continues to deny any wrongdoing. In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with the late Virginia Giuffre.
In a recent Channel 5 documentary titled 5 Days That Brought Down Prince Andrew, Lownie suggested three actions that King Charles and Prince William should take to avoid further embarrassment.
He stated: “If the monarchy gets a grip, if he leaves Royal Lodge, if he loses his titles, properly, including that of prince, and he goes into a form of exile, then I think the situation can be saved.”
