In the aftermath of Prince Andrew relinquishing his Duke of York title the scrutiny and media attention has continued to surround the King’s disgraced younger brother. There have been calls for him to move out of Royal Lodge - the Windsor home he has shared with former wife Sarah Ferguson for over a decade.
The couple are understood to pay a peppercorn rent for the seven-bedroom property and it’s been suggested that Andrew and Sarah might move out after all. Prince William is said to have taken a particularly hard line with his uncle and according to journalist Emily Maitlis, he could allegedly have given his cousins an ultimatum.
As per the Daily Mail, Emily - who interviewed Andrew for Newsnight in 2019 - has claimed on The News Agents podcast that there was a "bit of pressure" applied to Beatrice and Eugenie to persuade their father to relocate.
"There was a question over whether there had been, earlier in the day, a meeting between Prince William and the Princesses, Beatrice and Eugenie, saying you guys have to get your dad to move out of Royal Lodge otherwise we will start re-examining the state of your own titles," she reportedly explained.
Emily went on to allege, "They are at the moment allowed to be princesses, but there was a bit of pressure, we understand, being put on the princesses to say this is going to happen. Obviously you can see why Andrew as a father would want to keep their daughters happy and keep their titles in place, come what may."
Whilst their father is no longer using his Duke of York title and their mother is no longer Duchess of York, Eugenie and Beatrice are still Princesses of York. Whether or not there was a meeting to discuss their parents leaving Royal Lodge remains unconfirmed, though the Prince of Wales is reportedly determined this should happen.
He, Kate and their children are moving from Adelaide Cottage imminently and their rumoured new "forever home" Forest Lodge is nearer to Royal Lodge. Speaking to the Daily Mail, a source recently claimed that the Princess "shudders at the thought of living so close" to Andrew.
"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," they added.
As per The Sun, Prince Andrew supposedly wants to move into Prince Harry and Meghan’s former UK home Frogmore Cottage and Sarah into Adelaide Cottage in return for leaving Royal Lodge. Technically these properties would both be vacant (once the Wales family moves), however they’re also well-known, close to Windsor Castle and strongly associated with the Waleses and Sussexes.
Amid reports that Prince William is "not satisfied" with his uncle giving up the Duke of York title and could ban him from "all elements of royal life" in the future, he might not want his uncle and Sarah to have two such prominent properties, with specific connections to his immediate family.
Wherever the former couple might live next, it’s likely that the palace would make an announcement confirming they are leaving Royal Lodge for good given the public interest in this matter.
