Prince Andrew Has the Most Bizzare Hobby to Spend Time at His 30-Room Mansion

Prince Andrew, the disgraced royal, spends his days at the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor in a rather unusual way. According to former BBC royal correspondent, Jennie Bond, Andrew has a bizarre habit that keeps him occupied at the sprawling estate. Bond revealed, "Andrew seems to spend most of his time either riding around the huge estate on horseback or reportedly sitting in front of a big screen watching live coverage of planes landing and taking off." The 64-year-old prince has lived at Royal Lodge since the early 2000s, signing a 75-year lease in 2003. However, his future there now is uncertain.

King Charles III has allegedly been trying to evict his younger brother from the mansion as the property requires expensive repairs, which raises Andrew's security costs significantly. Bond explained, "The King is aware that having a disgraced Duke whiling away his time in a 30 room mansion that requires up to half a million pounds of upkeep every year and...£2 million in security costs to keep him there, looks bad." Andrew lost his personal security as a result of a Home Office review. He now relies on private protection, which is sponsored by King Charles' personal riches. Given Andrew's diminished status in the royal family, this arrangement has sparked controversy.

The King's recommended solution is to move Andrew to the smaller Frogmore Cottage that was once home to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Bond sees this as a reasonable option. "It seems like a perfectly sensible and generous offer by the King to continue to pay the costs for his brother. The security would presumably be less at Frogmore because it is much closer to Windsor and within the security cordon already in place around the castle and its environs." However, Andrew is reportedly resisting the move. He's been deemed 'the grand old Duke of York' for his stubbornness, as per Birmingham Live. Bond quipped, "It's time this grand old Duke of York marched down the hill to a property he can afford!"

Meanwhile, some analysts have dubbed the scenario the 'Siege of Royal Lodge.' Royal Lodge has a long history. It was established in the mid-17th century and became a permanent royal residence in the 1930s. The Queen Mother stayed there until she died in 2002. Queen Elizabeth II also spent her last days there. Andrew took over the lease after the Queen Mother died. In 2004, he spent millions on repairs before moving in with his two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Andrew now reportedly hopes to leave the property for his daughters. Royal commentator, Gareth Russell, told GB News, "It's incredibly unlikely that it will be the fate for Royal Lodge. Maybe Mayfair is the alternative inheritance home given that Royal Lodge might not be Andrew's for the remainder of his life, much less something he's in any position to bequeath to his daughters."