Royal news live: Pictures show Prince Andrew’s run down £30m Royal Lodge amid King Charles axing £1m allowance
Monarch cut financial ties to disgraced Prince Andrew after he refused to move out of his home
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Your support makes all the difference.Striking photos have shown Prince Andrew’s £30m Royal Lodge in a state of disrepair amid reports that King Charles withdrew his generous £1m annual “living allowance” after the Duke of York refused to move out.
As Andrew’s financial woes continue to worsen, new photographs reveal large cracks in the exterior walls of his 31-bedroom Windsor mansion.
The crumbling paintwork and black-mould-covered roofing have sparked concern about the upkeep of the property, once lived in by the late Queen Mother and King George VI.
The Duke of York has lived in the Royal Lodge for more than 20 years, but has reportedly faced calls from the monarch to move out after his friendship with convicted paedophile Jefferey Epstein came to light.
Earlier this year, it was reported Andrew refused an offer to move into the nearby Frogmore Cottage, prompting the King to later axe the duke’s entire security team, meaning he had to either finance for them himself or leave the lodge entirely.
This has now become a near impossible task as Andrew’s royal allowance is cut, according to royal author Robert Hardman. A source told him: “The Duke is no longer a financial burden on the King.”
King Charles and William’s royal estates ‘earn millions from NHS, armed forces and state school rents’
Prince William hits back at critics over homelessness project
Inside the no-frills health retreat Charles and Camilla can’t keep away from
King ‘cuts financial ties to disgraced Prince Andrew after refusal to move out of home’
King criticised ‘loathsome political correctness’ of most churches
A private letter from 1998 has revealed that King Charles believed the Orthodox Church was the only Christian denomination untainted by what he described as “loathsome political correctness.”
The correspondence, sent while he was still the Prince of Wales, shows his criticisms of the Church of England, of which he is the supreme governor.
The letter, marked “private and confidential,” was addressed to Dudley Popak, an interior designer who had worked closely with the royal family.
Following Mr Popak’s death in 2005, the letter became part of a collection of royal correspondence that was auctioned by Lay’s Auctioneers in Cornwall for over £1,700.
In the letter, Charles, then 49, wrote: “Personally, the older I get, the more I am drawn to the great, timeless traditions of the Orthodox Church. They are the only ones that have not been corrupted by loathsome political correctness.”
Charles and William’s royal estates ‘earn millions from NHS, armed forces and state school rents’
The King and the Prince of Wales’s private estates earn millions of pounds from rental deals with the armed forces, the NHS and state schools, it has been reported.
An investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times examined the land and properties the two leading royals own through the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall.
The investigation reported that last year the Duchy of Lancaster agreed a deal to store a new fleet of electric ambulances, owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London, in one of the estate’s warehouses at a cost of £11.4m over 15 years.
Read the full story here:
Royal estates ‘to earn millions from NHS, armed forces and state school rents’
Channel 4’s Dispatches and the Sunday Times investigated the land and properties owned by the King and the Prince of Wales
Prince William hits back at critics over homelessness project
The Prince of Wales has hit back at critics over his homelessness project.
William responded to those questioning whether he is the right person to tackle the issue, given his privileged upbringing, in the first part of his new ITV documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness.
William said: “I think everyone having a right to a safe home benefits us all.
“I come with no other agenda than desperately trying to help people who are in need and I see that as part of my role, why else would I be here if I am not using this role properly to influence and help people while I can.”
Prince Harry urged to ‘eat humble pie’ to heal family rift
Prince Harry has received a three-word ultimatum to repair his strained relationship with the royal family, according to royal commentator Rupert Bell.
Mr Bell suggested that the Duke of Sussex must “eat humble pie” after his brother, Prince William, extended an olive branch in his upcoming ITV documentary about homelessness, set to air tonight.
During a discussion with royal podcast host Kinsey Schofield on her YouTube channel, the royal expert claimed that it would be “odd” if William did not mention Harry in the context of the documentary.
Critics are debating whether any reference to Prince Harry represents a gesture of reconciliation from William, especially given their tense relations since Harry stepped down as a working royal in 2020.
Mr Bell said: “They looked after each other, and that’s what’s so sad about it.”
Meghan Markle rejected ‘golden opportunity’ in Hollywood
Meghan Markle reportedly turned down a “golden opportunity” that could have earned her millions, according to industry experts.
The Duchess of Sussex, who played Rachel Zane in the hit legal drama Suits from 2011 to 2019, previously earned nearly £40,000 per episode ($50,000) before stepping away from acting following her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.
The show recently gained renewed popularity, amassing 57.7 billion minutes of viewership on Netflix last year, and is set to expand into a “major franchise” with its upcoming spin-off, Suits: LA.
But Hollywood insiders have criticised Meghan’s refusal to return for the new series, which was reportedly written with her in mind, suggesting that she may have missed a lucrative opportunity.
Media finance analyst Mike Raia said: “This could become the costliest decision of her life and one that she may bitterly regret in years to come.”
Late Queen Elizabeth urged William and Harry to do one thing
Queen Elizabeth offered a crucial piece of advice to her grandsons, Princes William and Harry.
According to royal author Angela Levin, the late Queen, who passed away at 96, was increasingly troubled by what she perceived as a misalignment in their priorities.
Levin’s book, ‘Harry: Conversations with the Prince’, reveals that the Queen expressed her worries in a direct nine-word warning: the brothers must “think of the nation’s needs rather than their own.”
At the time, the Queen’s concerns were particularly focused on Harry’s vision for his role within the family.
Mr Levin said that Duke of Sussex envisioned a life for the young royals that embraces a sense of “ordinary life,” suggesting that their familial obligations might sometimes take precedence over their commitments to the monarchy.
This perspective seemed at odds with the Queen’s traditional views on royal responsibilities.
Insiders close to the royal family said that this was a serious concern for the Queen, who, while known for her stoic demeanour, felt the weight of her legacy and the institution she represented.
Queen Camilla’s barefoot stroll in Australia is a royal tradition
Queen Camilla made a keynote appearance earlier this week as she and King Charles toured the streets of Sydney, opting to remove her heels for a relaxed walk back to Admiralty House.
The 77-year-old monarch, fresh from a six-day visit to Samoa, embraced a more casual look, shedding her shoes and enjoying the warm pavement.
While this move may have surprised some, it aligns with a trend among high-profile royals.
Notably, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, has also gone barefoot on several occasions, first making headlines when she did so in 2012.
Meghan Markle could release ‘new memoir’ in next career move
Speculation is swirling around Meghan Markle’s potential next career move, with some royal experts suggesting she may release her own memoir.
Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield said she could make new revelations about her time in the Palace to “monetise her truth”.
He told Talk TV: “A part of me wonders if, similar to Jada Pinkett Smith, Meghan’s going to wait to reveal her truth until she finds a way to monetise it.
“Jada did that with her book, and Meghan has technically already done that with the Netflix series.”
Princess Kate forms ‘very close’ bond with King after shared health battles
Princess Kate has developed a notably close relationship with King Charles in recent months.
Known for her connections with various royals, Kate’s bond with the King appears to have deepened after both faced significant health challenges this year.
The Princess of Wales and the King underwent surgeries at the same hospital, both receiving cancer diagnoses shortly after their procedures.
This shared experience has seemingly strengthened their relationship, lending credence to Prince Harry’s assertion that illness can bring families closer together.
A source close to the Palace revealed that King Charles made a poignant gesture during Kate’s health scare in January, visiting her in her hospital room while he was also a patient at the London Clinic for his own prostate surgery.
According to Palace sources, the King views Kate with deep affection, considering her as a daughter.
“They are very close, and he thinks of Catherine as his daughter,” the source said.
Busy past month for the Prince and Princess of Wales
It’s been a busy October for the Prince and Princess of Wales.
With the launch of new London air ambulances, a memorial for the Southport stabbings, the release of a documentary on homelessness and much more, Prince William has been busy and Kate Middleton has enjoyed a partial return to work after her cancer diagnosis earlier in the year.
Here’s what the pair got up to in October:
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