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’
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.
Princess Kate to miss Prince William’s Earthshot Prize Awards
As Prince William prepares to travel to Cape Town next week 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.”
Unseen pictures from William, Harry and Princess Diana’s trip to homeless shelter
King open to removing word ‘empire’ from OBE honours amid colonial controversy
The word “empire” may be dropped British honours as part of reforms reportedly being considered by royal officials.
Under the plans, those with an OBE -Order of the British Empire – may choose to recieve an Order of British Excellence, according to a new biography of the King by author Robert Hardman, which is being serialised by the Daily Mail.
A parallel Order of Elizabeth has also been proposed in remembrance of the late Queen.
However in both cases the colonial-era titles could be retained for those who wanted them.
Read the full report:
King open to removing word ‘empire’ from OBE honours amid colonial controversy
Recipients have previously handed back or turned down honours over ‘toxicity of empire’
Eric Trump launches unprompted attack on ‘black sheep’ Prince Harry and his ‘unpopular’ wife Meghan
Eric Trump has lashed out at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, claiming the only reason Prince Harry’s US Visa is safe is because “no one cares” about him.
The former President’s son recently discussed how much his father and current presidential candidate Donald Trump “loved” the late Queen Elizabeth II and how much damage Harry caused to the royal family after he and Meghan decided to leave their positions in 2020.
Eric also told the outlet that Harry would not need to worry about being deported if his father is elected on November 5 even if his visa application has been questioned.
Eric Trump launches unprompted attack on ‘black sheep’ Prince Harry
The former president’s second son said the Duke of Sussex had ‘gone off the deep end and it’s sad to watch’
Queen Camilla ‘terrified’ after King Charles’ health admission
Queen Camilla is reportedly feeling “terrified” following King Charles’s recent admissions about his health, with sources suggesting she fears he may be “rushing” his cancer recovery.
Friends close to the Queen have expressed their concerns over the King’s determination to return to full duties too quickly after his diagnosis earlier this year.
While Buckingham Palace outlines plans for Charles to return to a “full” schedule of international travel next year, concerns about his well-being remain.
A senior palace official told GBNews:“We’re now working on a pretty normal-looking full overseas tour program for next year.”
However, this push for a robust itinerary raises alarm for Camilla, who is worried about the implications of such commitments on her husband’s health.
“It’s hard to overstate the joy that he takes from duty and service,” the official added.
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.”
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