Prince Andrew 'eviction': William and Kate 'want him out before bonfire night'
Prince William and Princess Kate have a date in mind they want Prince Andrew out of Royal Lodge before they move into their new “forever home” nearby, royal insiders have claimed. The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be preparing to move into Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park before Bonfire Night - but William reportedly wants his disgraced uncle gone from his 30-room mansion by the time they arrive. Andrew's public downfall began with his long-standing ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein . Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's accusers, alleged she was trafficked by him to have sex with Andrew when she was 17 - claims Andrew has always strenuously denied. Last week, he released a statement agreeing to give up all of his royal titles, including the Duke of York, because of the “continued accusations” about him. A source has now told how William and Kate want him removed from Royal Lodge before they move in nearby. “Catherine shudders at the thought of living so close to Royal Lodge while Prince Andrew is still in it,” the source said. William wants him gone before they start to move in next week. It’s not about what Andrew doesn’t want to do anymore. It’s about what he’s going to be told to do.” Negotiations over Andrew’s future at Royal Lodge are taking place daily, amid growing public anger over revelations that he pays only a “peppercorn rent” for the sprawling property. Despite holding a “cast iron” lease that prevents eviction, Palace insiders believe he will ultimately have to move out because of the scale of the backlash. William and Kate are also said to be using the half-term break to prepare their children - George, 12, Charlotte, ten, and Louis, seven - for the relocation. The Waleses had originally hoped to move to Royal Lodge itself, but were forced to settle for Adelaide Cottage in 2022 after Andrew refused to leave, MailOnline reports. “Them going into Adelaide Cottage was never the plan,” one well-connected source said. “But they were forced to because Prince Andrew wouldn’t shift.” Earlier this year, the family set their sights on Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom Georgian mansion just over a mile from Royal Lodge. They are understood to see it as the perfect setting to raise their children in a more rural, hands-on environment. Both Royal Lodge and Forest Lodge sit in secluded parts of Windsor Great Park, surrounded by fields and woodland where Andrew is frequently seen horse-riding. This week, a separate source told how Prince Andrew could be offered free use of a lavish palace as part of a plan to quietly leave Royal Lodge. Sources say Abu Dhabi's ruler, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has extended an extraordinary offer - free use of one of his royal palaces, a vast waterfront estate surrounded by palm trees and sand dunes.
