The story behind the gates of Royal Lodge as Prince Andrew’s future hangs in the balance

WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON BEHIND THE ROYAL LODGE GATES?

After a flurry of media interest on Thursday and Friday, cameras remained poised at the gates at Prince Andrew’s home Royal Lodge, but it is not clear why.

Ever since it was revealed The King’s Brother had been paying ‘peppercorn rent’ for the 30-bed mansion in Windsor Great Park, there have been calls for Andrew to move out.

The Telegraph reports that Prince Andrew is in talks to leave Royal Lodge, but at the time of writing, nothing has been confirmed.
The Government has refused to allow MPs time to debate Prince Andrew in the House of Commons because the Royal Family wants Parliament to focus on “important issues”.

This doesn’t stop, however, the Public Accounts Committee probing further into Prince Andrew’s living arrangements.

I understand the Public Accounts Committee is writing to the Crown Estate (which owns Royal Lodge) and the Treasury to raise “a number of questions” about Andrew’s lease of the property.

Pressure has grown on the Royal Family to act, after revelations in the posthumous memoir of Andrew’s sex accuser Virginia Giuffre – he continues to deny all the allegations against him.

With so much public pressure, and opinion polls on Prince Andrew appearing to plummet, could King Charles be considering taking further action?

We have been led to believe the lease Prince Andrew signed is watertight, meaning even his brother can’t kick him out, but last Friday, Prince Andrew announced he was doing the “honourable” thing by no longer using his Duke of York title in an effort not to distract from the Royal Family’s public work.

Could Prince Andrew be persuaded to do another “honourable” thing, and move out the mansion, and begin paying rent somewhere else?

It could perhaps avoid an undesirable, and uncomfortable, probe into the Crown Estate’s role in public life and the special treatment a member of the Royal Family appears to have had.

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IS KING CHARLES’ 24 HOUR OVERSEAS TRIP THE NEW NORMAL DUE TO CANCER BATTLE?

King Charles and Queen Camilla were on Italian, and Vatican, soil for less than 24 hours during their State Visit to the Holy See this week.

This is in stark contrast to last year’s Autumn tour, which lasted nine days, to Australia and Samoa – more than 10,000 miles away from London.

It was similar to Their Majesties’ visit to Canada in May, where they were on the ground for roughly 24 hours.

Short trips abroad are increasingly becoming the new normal for King Charles and Queen Camilla, rather than long, drawn out visits lasting weeks.

Palace sources are keen to stress His Majesty is carrying out a full programme of national and international visits.

Unnamed courtiers have suggested to me their work load shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon – and neither does The King’s.
In fact, I understand His Majesty plans to carry out a full programme of duties in 2026.

It is unclear what the definition of a “full programme of duties” means in practice, and whether that definition can be changed or altered overtime.

The 76 year old monarch continues a weekly cycle of cancer treatment in London, and there is no update on His Majesty’s treatment or condition.

Adaptions are already being made to support King Charles’ public work, including riding in a carriage, rather than on horseback, during the annual Trooping the Colour parade.

Queen Camilla has, on one or two occasions, expressed her frustration that her husband refuses to slow down.

King Charles appears determined to keep calm and carry on, fulfilling his duty to the country and Commonwealth.

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PRINCE WILLIAM’S EARHTHSHOT FINALIST GIVEN LIFELINE BY KING CHARLES

Ahead of The Prince of Wales travelling to Rio de Janeiro next week for his annual environmental prize, GB News has spoken to Britain’s only 2025 Earthshot Finalist, Matter – which has found a solution to filter harmful microplastics from washing machine waste water.

Before the publicity the company has received from being announced as a finalist, it turns out CEO Adam Root had already received a helping hand from another member of the Royal Family.

King Charles set up the Prince’s Trust (now the King’s Trust) in 1976 to provide practical and financial support, training and mentoring to help young people gain skills, build confidence, and overcome barriers to employment and education.

Adam told GB News: “I had very little. I got given £250 from the Prince’s Trust, and now I’m in a position where I’ve got 45 staff.”

“We’ve raised £15 million and now I’m [potentially] getting an award by the future King of England. It’s a it’s a bit of a pinch yourself moment for us, but I think Prince William has been able to amplify our message.”

The awards ceremony is being held on 5 November at the Museum of Tomorrow.

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