Prince Andrew has asked for Frogmore Cottage, the former home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Photo / Getty Images
Prince Andrew has agreed to move out of the Royal Lodge if he and his ex-wife are each given a new house in Windsor, it was reported on Sunday night.
The disgraced prince and Sarah Ferguson are said to have agreed to vacate their 30-room property in Windsor Great Park on these terms amid advanced talks with the King’s representatives.
Andrew has asked for Frogmore Cottage, the former home of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, while Ferguson hopes to move to Adelaide Cottage – the current residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, The Sun reported.
However, a friend of the couple admitted that “no one is really sure how it’s going to go down at the Palace yet”.
They told the newspaper, “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 Royal Lodge is up.
“If he must go, then he has asked for Frogmore Cottage. Incredibly, Sarah has said she wants Adelaide Cottage.”
It comes before the Prince and Princess’ move from Adelaide – where they have lived since August 2022 – to nearby Forest Lodge, also on the Windsor estate, next month.
It is understood that the couple are keen to move their family, including Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, into what is hoped to be their new “forever home” before Bonfire Night.
The eight-bedroom Grade-II listed home sits just over 1.6km from Andrew’s current grace-and-favour mansion in Windsor Great Park.
A source told the Mail that “William wants him gone before they start to move in next week”.
The family’s move will come as pressure has intensified for the disgraced prince to give up Royal Lodge.
Andrew was stripped of his titles, including Duke of York, earlier this month after it emerged he had lied about his relationship with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Last week, it was revealed that he has only paid “peppercorn” rent on the property for the past 20 years.
Buckingham Palace has long tried to place pressure on the King’s younger brother to voluntarily give up the residence, including Charles cutting his annual allowance last year.
While Andrew initially tried to dig his heels in and cite the terms of his “cast iron” lease with the Crown Estate, there is now a growing sense of inevitability that Andrew will soon move out.
The friend of Andrew and Feguson added that the plan the couple have put forward will serve as “a fresh start for both”.
They explained: “Frogmore Cottage is too small for both and Adelaide Cottage is around the corner, so they will see each other whenever they want.
“Both have space for their daughters, Eugenie and Beatrice, and their families to visit”.
Frogmore Cottage, which was refurbished by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their tenure there, is understood to have been offered to Andrew previously.
As part of the Crown Estate, it would still require a rental agreement, but no major renovation costs. Andrew’s preferred location is said to be to remain in Windsor, which allows him to maintain his schedule of riding and seeing his family.
Prince William is understood to have been keen to stay out of the negotiations of his uncle being forced out of Royal Lodge, as he remains on good terms with his cousins, Beatrice and Eugenie, but he has made it clear that he wants the matter resolved.
Andrew still has 50 years left on his pre-paid lease and there is the problem of how much money he will receive in compensation for the millions he has spent on the property.
Meanwhile, the National Audit Office is poised to help examine Andrew’s finances amid the mounting pressure for him to move out.
The move comes after Sir Keir Starmer backed an inquiry last week into Andrew’s grace-and-favour deal for Royal Lodge.
The Prime Minister said he would support “proper scrutiny” of the arrangement when asked if he would like to see the prince hauled before Parliament to face MPs.
Speaking at PMQs on Wednesday, Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, asked whether Starmer would “support a select committee inquiry so all those involved should be called for evidence, including the current occupant”.
Starmer said: “It’s important in relation to all properties, Crown properties, that there is proper scrutiny so I certainly support that.”
Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace have been approached for comment by The Telegraph.
Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.