Prince Andrew's eviction of Royal Lodge imminent as insider gives telling 5-word statement

Prince Andrew is understood to have caved to increasing pressures from the King and Palace officials to vacate Royal Lodge. The grand 30-room mansion on the Windsor estate has been his home for over two decades, but sources have said it's a "matter of when, not if" he will hand over the keys, as the final details of the move are being ironed out.

Negotiations on the logistics gathered pace this week, after reports that he was living at the 19th-century Grade II property rent-free sparked a public outcry. And on Thursday night, media outlets rushed to Windsor to cover a pending statement from the Palace, only for aides to quash the rumours at the eleventh hour.

Due to the watertight lease that Andrew signed in 2003, the King cannot legally evict him from the property. He had tried to force his hand last year by cutting off his funding, but Andrew continues to fund the costly maintenance costs required to uphold his lease, which lasts until 2078.

However, the Palace has piled on pressure for the prince to give up Royal Lodge voluntarily after years of unease about the optics of the royal, having been stripped of his titles and patronages, living in such grandeur.

Proud Andrew had been determined to stay put, repeatedly telling couriers that he had every right to remain. But with the controversy of his living arrangements showing no sign of abating, the Palace is keen for the matter to be dealt with once and for all.

"Everyone just wants the matter to be resolved," they said. "The longer this is drawn out, the worse it is for His Majesty."

Last week, they hoped that Andrew's statement relinquishing his dukedom and other honours would be enough to put a stop to the drip-drop of scandal and endless newspaper headlines.

But new details of his links with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continued to emerge, and the revelation that Andrew paid "one peppercorn" of rent if demanded" per year has tipped the balance against him even further.

MPs are calling for an enquiry into the financial arrangements, and the King renewed pressure on his brother to move into smaller accommodation, more fitting for a disgraced non-working royal and his ex-wife.

And late this afternoon, sources indicated that the wheels were in motion and an official announcement was imminent.

One source summed it up succinctly by saying, "He's gone. It's a matter of when, not if."

The remaining sticking point, which they want to finalise before issuing a statement to ensure the matter is fully resolved, is where Andrew will move.

One source stated that it was imperative for this to be agreed upon by all parties before the news of his departure from Royal Lodge became public, in order to avoid awkward questions from the press and the need for a second statement in the coming days.

There are several options on the table for Andrew, who is desperate to live near his daughters. The best option for the King is for his brother to move to one of his privately owned residences, such as Sandringham or Balmoral, but Andrew is against such a move, as he believes it's akin to exile.

He is keen to stay in Windsor so that he can continue to ride on the estate's grounds, but he may struggle to afford the rent of even the smaller properties, such as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's former home, Frogmore Cottage.

However, since Andrew has prepaid the lease until 2078, he would be legally entitled to compensation for vacating the premises.

Other less pressing issues are whether Sarah Ferguson will move with him, or if the former couple, who divorced in 1996, will now live apart, or what will happen to Royal Lodge after they've moved out.

The Prince of Wales is in lockstep with his father about the move, but has not been actively involved in the negotiations.

A statement is expected from Buckingham Palace as soon as it has been decided where he will live. This could come over the weekend or early next week, as aides are pushing for it to be resolved as soon as possible.

Andrew took over Royal Lodge after the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, in 2002.

He paid £1 million for the lease and a further £7.5 million for refurbishments. The terms of the lease stated that he only pays a "peppercorn rent" on the property - a legal term describing rent that technically exists but is nominal, often just £1 a year or even nothing at all.

The Royal Family has long encouraged Andrew to give up the property, after he was forced to step down as a working royal in 2019 because of his association with Epstein.

But the 65-year-old has been desperate to stay at the property, which is viewed as his last "status symbol" of his former life.