George and Amal Clooney walked the red carpet together for the Wolfs premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday night. The Clooneys were in Venice for several days and these photos were supposed to be the big, splashy premiere which would launch Wolfs and make it a much-needed box office success for Clooney and Brad Pitt. Hilariously, AppleTV+ is no longer giving this film a wide theatrical release. The Clooneys put on this big show for what is basically a direct-to-streaming mess.

Amal looked nice, albeit sort of like a showgirl? She’s done this before, and I suspect that George prefers when she’s styled this way, with big hair and heavy makeup. Her gown was Atelier Versace, and she wore Cartier jewelry. George wore Armani, of course. Amal pulls off most shades of yellow but this feels a tad same-y to me? It just feels like we’ve already seen both of them do versions of all of this a million times before.

Meanwhile, George is still trying to figure out what to say now that President Biden has left the presidential race. Back in July, George wrote a NYT op-ed in which he mocked Joe Biden for being old and said that Biden should step down and the Democrats should have a mini-primary. The op-ed was part of a coordinated effort by certain Democrats to not only get a sitting president out of the race, but to marginalize the sitting vice president. They wanted a contested convention too, don’t forget about that. Well, here’s what George said about everything that’s happened:

“The person who should be applauded is the president, who has done the most selfless thing anybody has done since George Washington, and that’s the truth. All of the machinations that got us there, none of that is gonna be remembered. And it shouldn’t be. What should be remembered is the selfless act of someone who, it’s very hard to let go of power — we know that, we’ve seen it all around the world — and for someone to say I think there’s a better path forward, all the credit goes to him. And that’s really the truth, and all of the rest of it will be long gone and forgotten and so I’m just very proud of where we are in the state of the world right now.”

[Transcribed via Reuters]

“All of the machinations that got us there, none of that is gonna be remembered.” LMAO. No, George, I will never forget. There are a lot of people who will never forget. The disloyalty, the classlessness, the lack of grace, the public political malpractice. I still haven’t heard one g–damn thing about George opening up his purse for Kamala Harris either.

George Clooney called President Joe Biden selfless for ending his reelection bid pic.twitter.com/i4M9JIzPLK

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 1, 2024

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Over the long holiday weekend here in America, the Mail decided to splash a major story on its front page: Prince Harry wants to come back to the UK! Not only that, Harry is plotting a return and the Windsors – especially Prince William – are in a position of strength in the negotiations! If this all seems like a royalist fan-fic lunacy, then congrats, you are an intelligent consumer of royal gossip. It absolutely feels like the British media generally and the Mail specifically are getting kicked in the teeth by the Sussexes these days. Harry and Meghan didn’t give them access in Nigeria or Colombia, and then Harry was able to fly into the UK for his uncle’s funeral without the Mail’s knowledge. This story is designed to be Harry’s punishment for their lack of access:

Prince Harry has sought advice from trusted former aides in Britain on how to mastermind a return from exile in the United States, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Sources said the Duke of Sussex is consulting people ‘from his old life’ as a working royal after allegedly growing dissatisfied with advice from American-based image experts.

The overtures signify the first stage in a strategy to ‘rehabilitate’ Harry that would involve him spending more time in the UK to repair his relationship with his father and potentially initiate a partial return to the royal fold.

Sources stressed that Harry and Meghan, who have spent the past four years living in self-imposed exile in California with their two children, are not seeking a permanent return.

This newspaper can also reveal that the couple have parted company with yet another American PR adviser. Christine Weil Schirmer joined the Sussexes in 2020 as head of communications but left quietly late last year. She is the tenth staff member to have left the couple in three years and last month took up a job with PR giant Brunswick advising clients on reputation management.

‘Harry is turning away from all sorts of Hollywood publicists and is seeking counsel from his old friends and associates,’ said a source. ‘He is clearly reaching out thinking, “I need to do something different because what I’m doing is clearly not working”. In short, he is rethinking the way he operates.’

Prince Harry’s representatives did not respond to a request for comment. Ending his rancorous feud with his brother William is not seen as a realistic goal, but last week this newspaper revealed that the King may be open to healing the rift with his youngest son, and had consulted with faith leaders as he explores the nature of forgiveness.

At least one of the advisers approached by Harry is a trusted figure ‘from the old school’ known for loyalty and discretion. One friend has already devised a strategy for how Harry might begin moving in UK circles again – even carrying out ‘very low-key royal duties’ – although the Duke is said to be open to ideas from many sources. A source said the friend ‘believes if Harry comes back to the UK with zero fuss, and does zero publicity and attends very mundane events, he could prove himself and win over the British public again. He would have to accept, though, that he might be reduced to ribbon cutting for a long period. But it would give him purpose to work again.’ But the source said it would only happen ‘if certain members of the family could find it in themselves to allow it’.

Separately, the Duke, who turns 40 this month, has sent conciliatory messages to a number of old friends in the UK on WhatsApp. They are ready and willing to help him smooth a path back to Britain, with some referring to their task as Operation Bring Harry In From The Cold. Friends are hoping the Duke’s former private secretary Edward Lane Fox might spearhead a comeback. One said: ‘If anyone can do it, Edward can. Last time I saw him I wanted to take him by the shoulders and say, “Ed, please bring our boy home”. It’s the right time now.’

Asked about helping Harry, Mr Lane Fox told this newspaper: ‘It’s not something I’ve got a view on I’m afraid.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“He would have to accept, though, that he might be reduced to ribbon cutting for a long period. But it would give him purpose to work again.” Harry will be in New York in a few weeks on behalf of his work with the Diana Award, African Parks, The HALO Trust, and Travalyst. In addition to that work, he obviously has Invictus, Sentebale, Archewell and BetterUp. My point is that he’s a busy man who isn’t begging to come back ALONE to those bitter, awful people just so he can do ribbon-cuttings and be his brother’s doormat. He would also not accept any situation in which he leaves his wife and children for weeks or months at a time.

There’s an update on this Mail story, which I’m covering separately. I just think that this needed to be a stand-alone piece to discuss.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images. Cover courtesy of the Mail.

Here are some photos of Brad Pitt and his girlfriend Ines de Ramon in Venice. I’m including photos of their arrival in Venice and then pics from the big Venice premiere of Wolfs on Sunday. This was Brad and Ines’s first red carpet together and it was widely predicted that this would be their debut. My general thoughts on these photos? Ines is an attractive woman and I sort of feel sorry for her, but whatever, she made her bed. Brad looks horrendous – like a man who overdid the pre-Venice injectables and plastic surgery, then tried to cover it up with too much makeup and a bright orange tanning spray.

You know how I know that this relationship is weird? Because “sources close to Brad” can’t shut up about it and the whole thing comes across as very uncool and performative. This should be a moment for the photos to speak for themselves, the big couple debut on a red carpet, pizzazz, glamour, etc. Instead, Brad’s team wanted to step all over Angelina Jolie’s good press just a few days earlier, so they told Page Six that Ines and Brad have been holed up at Chateau Miraval this summer (so much for vacationing with the Clooneys?) and that Ines has been spending a lot of time in the chateau co-owned by Yuri Shefler. Don’t forget this item dropped in People:

Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon’s relationship is going strong after the pair enjoyed “a great summer together,” according to a source.

“Brad’s been working in Europe, so they’ve spent a lot of time there,” the source exclusively tells PEOPLE. “He’s serious about Ines,” the source adds. “He’s very happy and enjoys spending time with her. She’s easygoing and everyone likes her.”

[From People]

Don’t you get it? They definitely, 100% spent the summer together and this is not a showmance of convenience. Meanwhile, Brad’s team couldn’t help themselves – they were so mad that Angelina was treated like a queen at Venice, they dropped a separate item into People Magazine in which a source close to Pitt said it’s “pretty shocking” that Brad and Angelina still “can’t find a resolution and finalize the divorce.” Does Brad really want to keep banging this drum? Because I’m absolutely positive that he’s the one holding everything up.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.

The long Labor Day weekend was full of nonsense from the British media. Last week, they were stunned to learn that Prince Harry flew into the UK quietly for Robert Fellowes’ funeral, and it definitely feels like Kensington Palace led the way with tons of briefings, post-funeral, about how Harry is desperate to return to the UK solo and he’s begging for scraps at the Windsors’ table. You can tell that those stories are coming from a certain angry egg because, within the breathless reporting of Harry’s “plot to return,” there are always references to Prince William’s incandescent rage at Harry. Well, this will no doubt increase the egg-rage. “Sources close to Harry” told the Telegraph that all of the Kensington Palace fantasist stories about Harry returning to be Huevo’s doormat are false.

The Duke of Sussex has “no interest” in returning to royal duties in the UK and is focused solely on his future in the United States, well-placed sources have told The Telegraph.

Prince Harry’s efforts to maintain contact with old friends, coupled with an evident desire to repair his relationship with the King, have prompted renewed speculation that he is seeking a fresh start and even an official working role within the family fold. But multiple sources close to the Duke have said this is not the case and he is happy and settled in California, with an “amazing” new set of friends and several projects on the horizon.

Since relocating to the US, the Duke has maintained contact with a tight group of trusted advisers with whom he worked in his former UK life, some of whom he occasionally turns to for advice. However, they too expressed surprise at the suggestion that he might one day return to royal duties and are unaware of an alleged “blueprint” outlining how he might one day begin moving in UK circles again, the existence of which was first reported by The Mail on Sunday.

The newspaper claimed certain “friends” want a key lieutenant to lead a “comeback campaign”, naming Ed Lane Fox, the Duke’s former private secretary, as the ideal candidate. Mr Lane Fox, a former captain in the Household Cavalry, has maintained contact with him and sits on the board of the Invictus Games.

Although Team Sussex seemingly wanted to keep the Duke’s attendance [at Robert Fellowes’ funeral] under wraps, it demonstrated that he could come and go with minimal fanfare and, therefore, minimal security risk. The visit also showed that the Duke is keen to stand shoulder to shoulder with his family. Those close to him maintain that, despite the ongoing rift with his father and brother, he is incredibly happy and is determined to look forwards, not back.

[From The Telegraph]

Do you want me to say it? I will say it. Prince William is pathetic and his obsession with briefing about and against Harry at this late stage of the game is really sad. William doesn’t seem to realize that it’s not 2019 anymore and Harry isn’t going to just sit around and do nothing while William lies about him far and wide. As much as the Windsors complain about “the Oprah interview” and “the book,” they fundamentally do not understand that all Harry has to do to combat their bullsh-t is call up a friendly journalist and deny the palace briefing. Of course Harry has no interest in leaving his huge mansion and his family just to go back to do ribbon-cuttings for William. It’s absurd that the William’s office even orchestrated that cover story.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

Cate Blanchett wore Armani to the Venice premiere of Disclaimer. It’s kind of boring in the front, but there’s a pearl party in the back. [Just Jared]
Taylor Russell wore Loewe in Venice. [RCFA]
Spotlight on model Rayan Ricci. [Socialite Life]
A reminder – there’s so much enthusiasm for Kamala Harris. [LaineyGossip]
Greedy People is like Temu Coen Brothers? [Pajiba]
More Cate Blanchett! [Go Fug Yourself]
This is truly why Bette Midler’s true fans will never leave her. [OMG Blog]
Shohei Ohtani brought his dog to work. [Seriously OMG]
A Sister Wives’ house is for sale. [Starcasm]
An explainer for abrosexuality. [Buzzfeed]

Programming note: we’ll be off for Labor Day (unless some big story breaks) so have a good holiday weekend if you’re in the US and come back on Tuesday!

In our coverage of the Venice premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, I included photos of Justin Theroux and his girlfriend Nicole Brydon Bloom. While I know that Justin dove back into the dating pool two seconds after his faux-marriage to Jennifer Aniston ended, I did not realize that he has been seriously involved with anyone in particular. Apparently, Justin and Nicole have been together more than a year and a half. In the Venice photos, some people clocked Nicole’s ring. It turns out that Justin did propose and they’re engaged.

Justin Theroux and Nicole Brydon Bloom are heading down the aisle!

PEOPLE has confirmed that Bloom and Theroux are engaged. Theroux popped the question in Italy, where the couple is for the Venice Film Festival for the actor’s film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. She showed off her striking engagement ring on the red carpet for the movie’s premiere.

Theroux, 53, and Bloom, 30, were first spotted together in February 2023, when they both attended a Netflix event at the New York City social club Zero Bond. The duo spent the night alongside Tan France and actress Louisa Jacobson, with whom Bloom works on their HBO series, The Gilded Age.

In August 2023, Theroux and Bloom were seen sharing a kiss during a date night at the Manhattan restaurant Altro Paradiso. A couple months later, in October, the pair were photographed leaving a gym together in N.Y.C.

[From People]

When I was her age, I didn’t have a problem dating guys nearly twice my age. Now that I’m closer to Justin’s age, I wonder what the hell they have to talk about or what their shared frame of reference could be. It’s not an Aaron Johnson-Sam Taylor-level age gap and experience gap, but it’s still pretty significant. It’s also significant that she really resembles his other ex, Heidi Bivens. I hope Heidi is doing well these days. Justin really has a type.

The Aniston fans always freak out when I point out that she and Justin lied for years about their “wedding” and “marriage.” It’s true though, they lied and they were never legally married. I wonder if Justin will actually legally marry Nicole, and if he does, whether anyone will ask if he ever got a “divorce” from Aniston. CAA did a hell of a job cleaning up that situation, and I’ve always assumed that Justin walked away with a very nice exit package.

Honestly, the ring is beautiful. It looks like an Asscher cut or emerald cut, a nice size, maybe 4 carats. Much more tasteful than Aniston’s cloudy ring.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Here are some additional photos of Winona Ryder at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday. She was in town to promote Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, alongside Jenna Ortega, Catherine O’Hara, Michael Keaton and the rest of the cast. Winona has been enjoying a “second act” to her career for years now, and it might actually be a third act? I don’t know. The point is, between this film and Stranger Things, Winona has been working with a lot of much-younger costars and she has some thoughts about them. Mostly, she has thoughts about how they don’t have the attention spans or the ability to watch real movies. From her interview with the LA Times:

Ryder, however, is concerned about the future. Not about her own career, exactly, but for the continuation of the medium of film, which she holds dear. The nights she spent with [Gena] Rowlands driving around in a cab for [Jim] Jarmusch’s movie represent the kind of art she loves.

“I’m not a religious person,” she says. “I’m not anti-religion, but I feel like the closest is film and it’s to me a very sacred thing. I feel so protective, but I’m not in any place to be in control. It’s not up to me.”

[Ryder] was immediately impressed with her younger co-star after Ortega mentioned “I Am Cuba,” the 1964 film by Soviet director Mikhail Kalatozov, during one of their early scenes. They were working in a crypt and Ryder says she almost wept hearing Ortega reference specific shots from the classic.

Ryder appreciates getting to interact with the up-and-coming generation of film lovers who remind her of herself, excitedly telling me how her “Stranger Things” co-star Finn Wolfhard is obsessed with Elliott Gould. Still, she gets frustrated when there is a lack of curiosity among her more junior colleagues.

“I don’t mean to sound so hopeless,” she says. “There are a few that are just not interested in movies. Like, the first thing they say is, ‘How long is it?’ ”

[From The LA Times]

I think Winona is right and wrong. There are many youths who have no attention span for movies and no curiosity about the history of film. We’ve seen that over and over whenever one of the great filmmakers criticizes Marvel or the superhero genre – tons of young people screaming about how Avengers: Endgame was the most important film of all time or how Martin Scorsese isn’t important and his opinions don’t matter. So that’s real and that’s what Winona is talking about. But I also think there are many young people who actually do have the attention span and the willingness and they just don’t know where to start. It’s easier to binge-watch seven seasons of a TV show on Netflix than hunt for old Douglas Sirk or John Cassavetes films.

Also: in this LAT piece, Winona says that she still exchanges hand-written letters with Keanu Reeves and Daniel Day-Lewis. OMG.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Wow, Us Weekly Photoshopped the crap out of this photo of the Duchess of Sussex. Like… Meghan’s beauty regularly takes my breath away, so it’s odd that anyone would try to completely change her makeup and skin this drastically. Anyway, I hope this Us Weekly cover story is part of a larger strategy to hype Meghan’s new projects, including her Netflix cooking/entertaining show. We still don’t have a release date on that, nor have we been able to buy one single item from American Riviera Orchard. Still, I enjoy any kind of positive energy towards Meghan from the tabloids. Some highlights from Us Weekly’s cover story:

Meghan is back: In recent months, Meghan’s been back in the game full throttle. She’s set to launch her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, and her new Netflix series, centered around cooking, entertaining and gardening, has finished filming. In July, she joined a slew of Hollywood heavyweights, including Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow, at the Hamptons home of power broker Amy Griffin for a one-day business summit. “Meghan was there to network,” says an insider. “She was very kind and humble and eager to learn.”

Meghan’s chapter of joy: “Meghan has transitioned from actress to royal to entrepreneur,” says a second insider. “She’s worn many hats, but she believes age and experience have [prepared her] for a bigger purpose in life. She’s very happy with the role she’s carved out.”

She’s ready to look forward. “After Spare, [Harry and Meghan] realized, ‘OK, we’re ready to move on. We want to focus on our future,’” the family friend tells Us. “‘We can have meaning and importance separate from the lives we had previously.’” Adds the family friend: “Meghan doesn’t harbor any negative feelings. She just wants peace, and knows you can’t find peace if you harbor resentments.”

She’s not interested in that family: The family friend says they are otherwise moving on from royal headlines. “Meghan’s team gets asked daily to comment on stuff that has nothing to do with their lives now. They have left it behind.”

Meghan’s friend group: A source close to the Sussexes says Meghan “has a great group of friends who are all successful in their own ways who she really trusts.” In addition to famous pals like Serena Williams and Ellen DeGeneres, she has a group of local moms she sees regularly. The first insider says the duchess has become “very close” with neighbor and Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, and a second source says she’s tight with entrepreneur Jamie Kern Lima, cofounder of IT Cosmetics.

Harry’s friend group: Harry, meanwhile, “has a small [group] of close friends,” says the second source, noting that he keeps his inner circle tight for “understandable reasons.” Moving from the U.K. has been an adjustment for Harry, though he’s come to love his situation in the States. “He’ll always be fond of his home country, but the way he views it, his wife and kids are his priority. If that means making sure they’re safe and happy in Montecito, then he supports that.”

The Sussexes do the school run too: The family friend says Meghan and Harry are hands-on parents to Archie and Lilibet and want them to have normal childhoods: “They take the kids to school, they pick them up, and they are very active and present with them throughout the day.” The friend says that the Sussexes keep Archie and Lilibet out of the spotlight for their own safety. “I think every parent wants to share their kid with the world, but they just can’t,” explains the friend, referencing Harry’s battle for enhanced security in the U.K. “William’s kids, for example, have way more safety, even though they’re recognizable. And the same doesn’t apply to Meghan and Harry’s children. They know the world wants to see [them but] I would expect them to live smaller lives until that gets sorted, if it ever does.”

How Meghan feels about Thomas Markle: Says the first insider: “Meghan still has no contact with her dad. She does not plan on having a relationship with him, and he has not met his grandkids. That ship has sailed.”

Launching ARO: She couldn’t be more excited about ARO, which sources tell Us is likely to launch around her Netflix series, which reportedly will be released early next year. “[ARO] will likely be very much in line with who Meghan is as a person,” says the second source. “She loves hosting events, and she’s very thoughtful about how she treats her guests whenever they come over.” Her Netflix series “is going to be a take on her and the joy of living,” reveals the third source, adding that the show will include “little things she’s learned in terms of being a modern-day hostess.” There are rumors of cameos from Harry, and the source promises fans can expect to see familiar faces from pop culture to culinary to beauty.

She’s not writing a memoir: Not currently on the duchess’ radar: running for office, returning to acting or writing a memoir. Adds the third source: “Meghan’s in the middle of her story right now.”

[From Us Weekly]

Meghan has been forward-looking for a while now. I think she was probably more retrospective back in 2022, when she and Harry still believed that they could travel to the UK and visit with his family and when they still maintained their home at Frogmore Cottage. But Meghan’s been done with the UK since QEII died. She’s been done since Charles’s first act as king was to ban her from Balmoral. Anyway, I believe that she’s very happy right now and I can’t wait for all of her projects to launch.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images. Cover courtesy of Us Weekly.

Last week, my husband came home from work and told me that his Gen Z coworkers were making fun of some of his more Millennial traits, like watching TikTok videos on Instagram instead of the TT app. Our 10-year-old heard us talking about being “old” and started dropping phrases using Gen Z/Gen Alpha vernacular and I was just completely lost. My husband, who was more familiar because of his younger coworkers, had to explain it all to me. I responded using Millennial speak and everyone just rolled their eyes.

Each generation just has their own way of doing certain things, and so far, Gen Z has come for older generations by canceling skinny jeans, ankle socks, and side parts. There’s also the Great Top Sheet Debate from earlier this summer. I did not realize that this was controversial, but apparently, one of those things that we Millennials are now being made fun of for doing is making large purchases on our computers. I guess buying expensive items through your phone is all the rage nowadays.

Gen Z is at it again. First, they came for your skinny jeans. Then, they blasted your side parts. They even had the audacity to cancel your sweet, sweet ankle socks!

And now, they’re coming for “laptop purchases.”

In case you didn’t know, there’s a widespread belief that big purchases must be made on a laptop. Examples of “laptop purchases” are plane tickets, hotel rooms, expensive electronics, or furniture. For clarity’s sake, let’s say a “laptop purchase” is anything over $300.

As [one] person said, “The millennial urge to make a big purchase on a laptop instead of a phone is very real.”

Well, I’m here to tell you that Gen Z apparently doesn’t agree with the “laptop purchase” mentality. A tweet from Jessie Frazelle says, “Apparently, Gen Z is making fun of older generations for never buying big ticket purchases on their phone and always using a desktop.”

The generational divide is real.

“How are you gonna open multiple tabs and carefully cross-compare offers??” [one] frantic millennial asked. Another millennial said they needed a “real keyboard for this serious business.”

And [another] person straight up said the anti-laptop purchase mentality was “wrong,” explaining, “Sometimes, websites are not properly designed to show all of the information you need to make a purchase on a phone.”

Other millennials seem to agree with Gen Z. “I use my phone all the time to buy stuff,” this person said.

[From Buzzfeed]

Umm, I absolutely prefer to make big purchases from my computer. One exception is if I’m buying concert or show tickets. Even that is on a case-by-case basis, which is generally if tickets go on sale at a certain time and I just am not going to be around a computer and have no other choice but try to navigate Ticketmaster’s app on my phone. Like, how do you so confidently buy plane tickets or book a vacation without having multiple tabs open in a regular browser AND an incognito browser just to make sure that you’ve got the best price? Or don’t mess up something innocent like a date of birth and not notice on your tiny phone screen? I agree with the Millennial that pointed out that a lot of websites aren’t designed to show you all of the info you need to make a purchase through the phone.

Have I had to occasionally book a hotel room for a night through the Hilton Honors app? Sure, but it’s not my preferred method of doing things. Apps are for social media, playing music, and nosily looking at the inside of a house that’s for sale in your neighborhood. Bah, the thought of making a big purchase on my phone is honestly stressing me out right now. Team Laptop Purchases all the way!

Photos credit: Pavel Danilyuk/Mizuno K/Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels, Christin Hume/Unsplash

King Charles apparently decided to cut off Prince Andrew’s privately-funded security this month, and Charles basically announced that to the British media (via the courtiers) as a way to deflect from Charles being a terrible father. He was like: no, I’m also a terrible brother, pay attention to that too. The reaction from Prince Andrew’s side has been especially funny, because it’s always been clear that Andrew knows where the bodies are buried and he’s constantly threatening Charles to get his way. Soon after Andrew’s security was cut off, one of Andrew’s “friends” told the Daily Beast that Charles is childish and jealous of Andrew, and that Andrew still isn’t planning to move out of Royal Lodge, since that is the latest “thing.” Now Andrew’s “friends” are saying: no, really, Andrew will not move out and he’s simply going to outlive Charles. Ice cold.

Prince Andrew will defy his brother King Charles’ insistence that he moves out of Royal Lodge, the 30-room historic Windsor mansion he has called home for the past 20 years, a friend of the prince has told the Daily Beast. The friend told The Daily Beast: “Andrew can sit tight and run out the clock.”

Asked if they were suggesting that Andrew thought Charles might die before he could evict Andrew, the friend said Andrew simply intended to stay in the property, which he is legally entitled to do, having a lease on it that will not expire for over 50 years and can be bequeathed to his children, until his brother accepted he had the legal right to stay there.

They added: “Andrew wants his brother to live long and prosper. He is intensely loyal to the monarchy. But it’s not exactly a state secret that Andrew is more than a decade younger than his brother, and that Charles has cancer. Quite why Charles wants this distraction at this moment in his reign is a great mystery to Andrew’s friends. It looks childish and vindictive as I don’t think anyone except Charles would give a damn where Andrew lives if they stopped briefing the newspapers about it.”

It was recently reported that Charles has told Andrew’s 10-strong security team, which he pays for privately, that their contract will not be renewed this fall. He believes this will put pressure on Andrew to move. A friend of King Charles, who is 12 years older than Andrew, said the monarch remains “utterly determined” that Andrew will be obliged to vacate Royal Lodge.

The friend of King Charles scoffed at Andrew’s defiance and said, “It’s been compared to a siege and that is accurate in one respect because Charles will starve Andrew out. Security is just a first step. He will cut all financial support if he has to. It’s Andrew’s choice how this goes. Charles is the king, and if he wants Andrew gone, Andrew will be gone in the end.”

The fresh insight into Charles’ renewed efforts to kick his brother out of Royal Lodge, a 10-bedroom home in Windsor Great Park that was once the home of the famously extravagant Queen Mother, came days after Sarah Ferguson suggested she and Andrew would not be vacating the property. Sarah told an interviewer for HOLA TV not to believe media reports that they were moving to Harry and Meghan’s former home, Frogmore Cottage. “Don’t always believe what you read,” she said, when asked if it was accurate that they were moving, adding: “I take every day as it comes.”

A former courtier told The Daily Beast: “The whole thing is a mess and arguing about it publicly is not helping the king. Ultimately, Andrew will have to be given something to surrender the lease.”

[From The Daily Beast]

That last part is what shocks me too – if it’s so important to get Andrew out of Royal Lodge, surely Charles could move some money around and buy Andrew out of his lease. Various royal sources have said the same for the past year – it’s not that Andrew refuses to leave Royal Lodge, it’s that he refuses to vacate with nothing in exchange. Which makes me believe that this is all about Charles using Andrew as a convenient target to deflect from larger royal issues. It also seems like the Windsor brand IS punishment, targeted harassment and childish beefs. The stuff about Andrew outliving Charles is… particularly nasty work. Then again, Prince William’s mindset is basically the same, actively rooting for the king to keel over.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.