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’
Watch: Tom Parker Bowles full interview with Geordie Greig
VOICES: The royal family’s finances are a mystery: it’s time to open the books
The view of the monarchy in the UK remains overwhelmingly positive, writes Alan Rusbridger. But the public deserve full transparency on the family’s staggering wealth:
The royals’ finances are shrouded in mystery: they need to open the books
The view of the monarchy in the UK remains overwhelmingly positive, writes Alan Rusbridger. But the public deserve full transparency on the family’s staggering wealth
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
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.
Read the full story:
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’
Charles faces calls to back out of lucrative NHS deal
King Charles is facing calls to dissolve his lucrative private estates and refund the cash-strapped NHS after it emerged he is making millions from renting out ambulance parking spaces and sub-standard properties.
Charles has been asked to reconsider an £11.4m deal struck by the Duchy of Lancaster last year to store a fleet of electric ambulances, owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London, in one of the estate’s warehouses for 15 years.
Campaigners described the deal as “disgraceful” and a “money-grabbing activity” which ought to be reconsidered by the King.
“I think it is disgraceful actually, given the NHS is under so much pressure, for the Royal Family to charge for ambulance parking and other NHS uses,” Dennis Reed from Silver Voices, a campaign group for elderly people, told The Daily Mail. “[It] sounds rather like a money-grabbing activity. And I would hope because of the publicity there will be a rethink in the Royal Household.”
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.”
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