In recent weeks, there has been intense speculation about the future of Prince Andrew after he gave up his Duke of York titles following more intense public scrutiny
A Royal expert has suggested that King Charles’ main concern might be resolving the Prince Andrew situation before Prince William ascends to the throne.
The spotlight has been firmly on Andrew, 65, in recent weeks, following his decision to relinquish his Royal titles amidst increased scrutiny over his association with the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
After Andrew chose to stop using his Duke of York title, a decision made in consultation with both William and Charles, questions have arisen about whether he should also drop the Prince prefix.
While this remains a topic of debate, Andrew’s announcement has sparked speculation about whether this is part of a wider succession strategy by the King.
Despite the hope that William, 43, won’t ascend to the throne for many years yet, Royal author Phil Dampier has suggested that the King’s primary focus could be resolving the Andrew issue so his son won’t have to deal with it in the future.
Speaking to Hello! magazine, he suggested: “I think the main priority will have been to try to clear this up once and for all, and draw a line under it before William becomes King, so that he doesn’t have to deal with it. They don’t like loose ends.”
These comments from Mr Dampier come amid reports that Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have agreed to vacate the 30-room Royal Lodge following public outrage over their peppercorn rent arrangement.
A source has revealed to The Sun that it’s still uncertain how the reported developments will be received by other senior royals, stating: “No one is really sure how it’s going to go down at the palace yet.
“Andy is willing to leave, but these are his demands. He is realistic and knows the writing is on the wall and that his time at the Royal Lodge is up.
“Sarah and Andy have lived together at Royal Lodge since 2008 despite being divorced … It’s incredible that they are willing to go their separate ways.
“But it indicates that they have been under immense strain this year and need a break from each other. It’s a fresh start for both.”
Despite Andrew’s decision to reportedly leave Royal Lodge, he won’t be left without a roof over his head. There are suggestions he could move into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s former home at Frogmore Cottage, or even reside in Adelaide Cottage, soon to be vacated by William and Princess Kate.
This isn’t the first time Andrew’s potential move has been discussed. Last month, Royal commentator Richard Eden suggested that Andrew could relocate to Adelaide Cottage.
Discussing the implications of William and Kate’s move to Forest Lodge on the Mail’s Palace Confidential programme, Mr Eden said: “On a practical level it means immediately that Adelaide Cottage is vacant.
“Perhaps that could be one for Prince Andrew to move in from the massive Royal Lodge that he and Fergie are sharing at the moment, that could be another option for him. We know that he rejected Frogmore Cottage because he regarded it as too small. Perhaps Adelaide Cottage might tickle his fancy.”
