Royal news - live: Prince Andrew ‘shoving two fingers up at King Charles’ over £30m Royal Lodge standoff
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.Tensions are continuing to build between Prince Andrew and King Charles over the duke’s residence at his 31-bedroom Windsor mansion.
Royal commentators have suggested Andrew is standing firm on his plans to remain in the £30m Royal Lodge, despite his brother making it increasingly difficult for him to live there and shocking images showing the house in a state of disrepair.
Royal author Christopher Wilson believes the duke is “digging his toes in” and “shoving up two fingers at” Charles as he continues to live at the former home of the late Queen Mother and King George VI.
“It’s dishonouring [the Queen Mother’s] memory. It’s shoving up two fingers at King Charles,” he told The Sun. “The state of his mind is reflected in the state of his home. It is falling all around him. He doesn’t care anymore.”
Recent photos showed black mould and huge cracks in the home, amid reports that King Charles withdrew his generous £1m annual “living allowance”.
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.
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King ‘cuts financial ties to disgraced Prince Andrew after refusal to move out of home’
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.
Prince William faces uncomfortable moment in homelessness documentary - recap
Prince William has faced an uncomfortable moment during the premiere of his documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, which aired its first part last tonight.
In the film, the Prince of Wales, 42, was confronted by Lord John Bird, founder of The Big Issue, who challenged him to address the “failed thinking” surrounding homelessness.
Lord Bird bluntly stated he wanted no “b******t” in their discussions, urging the prince to spearhead a new approach through his Homewards programme - an ambitious initiative aiming to end homelessness within five years.
“We need the expertise of everybody,” Lord Bird said during their meeting in episode one.
He criticised the fragmented efforts of local authorities, charities, and government departments over the past three decades.
William responded with an invitation for open dialogue, adding: “I’m conscious that it’s a team environment... please do feel free to pile in when you need to.”
To which Lord Bird replied: “I hope you mean that,” before jokingly adding: “Sorry, I’m jumping in.”
The Prince’s goal of ending homelessness has been inspired by his childhood experiences visiting shelters with his late mother, Princess Diana.
ICYMI: 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.”
Ditching monarchy would represent ‘a loss of identity’ to many Brits, argues new study
Queen Elizabeth II’s death had a profound impact on national sentiment towards the monarchy, a study has claimed.
Academics from The Open University focused on individuals who participated in mourning events in Edinburgh and London following the monarch’s passing on 8 September, 2022.
During the ten-day mourning period that followed the longest-reigning monarch’s death, over 250,000 people queued to pay their respects in Westminster Hall.
You can read the full story below:
Ditching monarchy would represent ‘loss of identity’ to many Brits, argues new study
Brits believe Queen Elizabeth II represented ‘something of who we were’
Princess Kate to miss Prince William’’s Earthshot Prize Awards
As Prince William arrives in Cape Town for the fourth Earthshot Prize Awards, Princess Kate will remain in Windsor with their three children.
After being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and completing chemotherapy just two months ago, the 42-year-old Princess has chosen to prioritise her health and family during this time.
This marks the second consecutive year she has opted out of the event.
Prince William founded the Earthshot Prize is environmental awards back in 2020 to champion for green solutions for the world’s climate problems.
Last year, Kate missed the ceremony in Singapore while Prince George was taking his exams.
At the time, a senior Palace source said: “The Princess will not be attending. Prince George has exams that week and the Princess wants to be at home to support him.”
William tells young environmentalists, you are going to change the world
The Prince of Wales told young environmentalists you are “going to change the world”, as he arrived in Cape Town for his Earthshot Prize awards ceremony.
William’s words of encouragement came as he met 120 teenage activists at the start of a four-day visit to South Africa to promote his environmental project.
He told the young people: “The Earthshot Prize believes in you and the reason we set the prize up is for moments like this,” after speaking to them about their ideas to tackle climate issues, which included a business making handbags out of old tyres.
“All of you in this room are future change-makers, you’re the leaders, you’re the people going to make the difference going forwards,” he said.
Watch: Military Wives Choirs release new single to celebrate King’s birthday
Pictured: Prince of Wales begins South Africa trip meeting young environmentalists
Watch: Prince William hits back at critics over homelessness project
Charles and William face calls to abolish private estates
King Charles and Prince William are facing calls to dissolve their private estates after it was revealed they are making millions from Britain’s cash-strapped NHS and public services.
The two estates earned the royals upwards of £50mn in the last financial year, with both estates being exempt from paying corporation tax or capital gains tax.
The monarch and heir to the throne have sparked uproar after it was revealed they are benefiting from rental deals with public services - including the armed forces and state schools - on their private estates, the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall.
“The solution is quite simple, abolish the Duchies,” spokesperson for Republic, Graham Smith, said.
He added: “The Dispatches investigation shows how the Duchies are doggedly pursuing profit at every turn, at huge expense to the public and charities.
“The Duchies are not private property, they are state assets. Parliament allowed the royals to maintain control over these estates when other land was surrendered three centuries ago. It’s time parliament abandoned that arrangement.”
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