The terms of the duke’s 75-year lease agreement with the Crown Estate, which was signed in 2003 and runs out in 2079, could see him forced to repaint his Windsor home “with two coats of paint” every five years.
Prince Andrew reportedly has a secret plan for his Windsor home after his death. Photo / Getty Images
It states he must “repair, renew, uphold, clean and keep in repair and where necessary rebuild” the home.
The King, 75, has made clear that he is not willing to continue to fund his brother’s lifestyle at the 37ha property, where the duke lives and shares with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York.
The Daily Mail also reported that the duke would prefer to leave the home to the duchess, but the lease specifies it can only be passed to his children or his widow.
The King has reportedly told his younger brother, who was forced to step down as a working royal over his association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to vacate the property and downsize to nearby Frogmore Cottage - previously the home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The brothers are butting heads over Prince Andrew's living arrangements. Photo / Getty Images
However, Andrew has been reluctant to vacate the property, which has proved a bone of contention over the past year.
His lease requirement to maintain security as well as the stringent and expensive upkeep of the home will require the duke to conjure up a small fortune with no discernible income should the King decide to pull the purse strings.
A source close to the monarch previously told the Times that the move can be done “with grace and dignity or it can be forced upon him”.
The Telegraph previously reported that the duke intends to honour the terms of the lease he signed in 2003, which has 55 more years to run.
