Written by 
Ever since he stepped down from royal duties amid the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which he has always strongly refuted, the Duke of York has remained ensconced at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
But it’s been suggested that King Charles may be nudging his brother to downscale to Frogmore Cottageonce the abode of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Despite the narrative positioning the Prince and Princess of Wales as the obvious successors to the Royal Lodge, they are reportedly quite settled in their Adelaide Cottage home.
This has fuelled speculation that the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh could be potential candidates to occupy the Lodge should Prince Andrew vacate.
Prince Andrew secured a 75-year lease for the Royal Lodge with the Crown Estate back in 2003, which still has a hefty 54 years left to run, and indications suggest he intends to adhere to this agreement.
Royal commentator Gareth Russell told GB News: “Royal Lodge has a high-profile history within the Royal Family. Bear in mind, it was the last home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. So it’s traditionally been assigned to senior royals.
“The logical choice, of course, would be the Prince and Princess of Wales, but they’ve shown relatively little interest in moving home again. They seem quite content where they are. It could be the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.”
Allies of Andrew have stated that he has invested over £7.5million in the refurbishment and maintenance of the Royal Lodge and its 93 acres.
The outlet has reported that Prince Andrew is currently refusing to vacate the Royal Lodge, with alleged plans to transfer his lease to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie posthumously.
Since relocating to the 30-room mansion in 2003, Andrew has cohabited with his ex-wife, Sarah, and their daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice.
Despite the sisters moving out and despite their separation in 1992 and subsequent divorce four years later, Andrew and Sarah reportedly continued to reside in the property.
The Royal Lodge mansion boasts 30 rooms and 21 secluded areas, along with a vast garden, with a Gothic drawing room at the heart of the house.
Prince Edward, 60, and his wife Sophie, 59, have lived in Bagshot Park since their wedding in 1999. However, Gareth also hinted that the Royal Lodge may not be occupied in the coming years.
He added: “It could also be that this is part of another move by the King to slim down or shake up the royal property portfolio. It’s not the case that we’re seeing them being replaced by other royals as much as they were in the past.
“So it may be that Royal Lodge is just put to different use once Prince Andrew leaves. It’s possible that no one will go into Royal Lodge.”
Gareth revealed that when Royal residences are left unoccupied, it “doesn’t necessarily” imply they will be filled by other royals, a shift from practices during the late Queen Elizabeth II’s era.