LONDON - Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson are said to have finally agreed to leave Royal Lodge - but only if they get two alternative houses in return.
The royal (65), has reportedly requested Frogmore Cottage in Windsor is handed over to him in exchange for his departure from the 30-room mansion, which is just down the road.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s old residence in Home Park sits just under three miles away from Windsor Great Park.
Meanwhile, Fergie (66) has apparently set her sights on nearby Adelaide Cottage, also in Home Park - the current residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
It comes as William and Kate are set to move with their three children to Forest Lodge - in Windsor Great Park and a stone’s throw from Royal Lodge - next month.
As exit talks over the duo’s entanglement in the Epstein sex scandal continue, a friend told The Sun: ‘‘No one is really sure how it’s going to go down at the Palace yet.’’
Andrew’s brother King Charles has reportedly long wanted the ex-Duke and Duchess out of the Lodge, for which they have not paid rent in 20 years. And it had, in fact, been hoped they would move to Frogmore Cottage, which was Harry and Meghan’s home from 2019 to 2023.
Neither demanded property would need renovation or further protection at the taxpayers’ expense as both lie within Windsor Castle’s security perimeter.
Discussions are ongoing as to how much rent Andrew and Fergie would be charged.
And it is unclear what would happen to Royal Lodge if the pair were to move out - though insiders think a new tenant is likely to fund much-needed renovations.
Andrew, who has the lease until 2078, has struggled to afford to keep the property going - despite living there rent-free.
The friend said: ‘‘(Andrew) is realistic and knows the writing is on the wall and that his time at Royal Lodge is up.’’ But it would mark an enormous move for the pair, who, despite their divorce in 1996, have lived together at Royal Lodge since 2008, when Fergie moved in.
Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson are said to have finally agreed to leave Royal Lodge - but only if they get two alternative houses in return. (Pic: www.standar.co.uk)