It’s been abundantly clear for months that the main reason why the “King Charles will force Prince Andrew out of Royal Lodge” story was put out there was to combine it with “King Charles is evicting the Sussexes from Frogmore Cottage.” Buckingham Palace thought they were doing something – once again, putting Harry and Andrew in the same category, and putting it out there that Andrew was being “offered” Frogmore Cottage free of charge. The same Frogmore Cottage which the Sussexes spent $3 million-plus renovating and leasing. The point was never to punish Andrew, it was solely to punish the Sussexes and “humiliate” them by offering their family home to a rapist and human trafficker. As predicted, King Charles could only keep up that pretense for a few months. We’re now back to “nevermind, Andrew can stay at Royal Lodge.” Per Ephraim Hardcastle’s Mail column:

Further indications that King Charles is not coercing Andrew out of Royal Lodge to the smaller Frogmore Cottage.

It would cost the monarch a tidy sum to make palatable for Andrew the move from a rent-free mansion to a residence costing him £360,000 in annual payments. And the Crown Estate would have to reimburse him if they terminated his 75- year lease early.

Charles has also sustained the practice of his late mother allowing occasional meals to be ferried over to the Lodge from the Windsor Castle kitchens.

Andrew also receives help with the gardens and running repairs from castle staff. Not quite the actions of a King determined to make life difficult for his disgraced brother.

[From The Daily Mail]

“It would cost the monarch a tidy sum to make palatable for Andrew the move from a rent-free mansion to a residence costing him £360,000 in annual payments.” Yeah, that wasn’t even what palace sources said months ago. Palace sources said that Charles had “offered” Frogmore Cottage to Andrew free of charge if he moved out of Royal Lodge. Andrew’s disgust at the offer had nothing to do with the cost of renting Frogmore and everything to do with Andrew feeling like Frogmore Cottage is beneath him, beneath his status. And if Andrew is somehow forcing Charles to buy out his Royal Lodge lease, then I wonder if the Sussexes got reimbursed for everything they spent on Frogmore. No one is reporting anything about that. As for Andrew still getting meals from Windsor Castle and still getting help from royal gardeners… my god, he’s useless.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.