King Charles strikes unexpected new deal with Prince Andrew

After an embarrassing, months-long standoff, the King has struck an unexpected deal with his disgraced brother during a private meeting.

After a months-long stand-off between King Charles and Prince Andrew over housing, the brothers have reportedly finally struck a deal.

According to the UK’s Mirror, the disgraced Duke of York has been given a “stay of execution” on his potential eviction from the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor, after the King suggested he downsize into the vacant four-bedroom Frogmore Cottage, previously belonging to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

It’s claimed that during a private meeting at Balmoral in August, Andrew successfully pleaded for his brother to grant him more time to prove he can come up with the necessary funds to pay for the desperately-needed repairs on the sprawling property.

The brothers have reportedly struck a deal on housing. Picture: Peter Nicholls/Pool/AFP

The Lodge reportedly requires an estimated £2 million (A$3.8 million) total in restorations - and according to The Mirror, Andrew has already spent $380,000 on roof repairs as an “interim payment”.

The Lodge has been Andrew’s official residence since 2004, and he currently lives there with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, under a 75-year lease.

For many years, that was made possible by an annual subsidy of around $500,000, paid to Andrew out of his late mother’s private estate – a system which ended in April under Charles’ rule.

The latest update in the royal housing drama comes just months after Andrew appeared to make a mockery of his brother’s authority by hiring the builders to fix his roof amid their standoff.

Andrew – who was forced out of royal duties after settling a sex abuse case with Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre – reportedly then refused to hand over the keys while the work was underway in June.

The King reportedly tried to convince Andrew to move to Harry and Meghan’s former home, Frogmore Cottage. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images

At the time, the Daily Mail reported that Andrew was concerned that if he left, he “might never get back in”.

“Andrew has roof repairs scheduled later this summer which will take several months to complete and has been advised that staying in the house during those renovations could prove problematic. But he is reluctant to leave,” a source told the publication, adding that the situation had become ridiculous.

“It’s become farcical,” the source said.

It’s been widely reported for months that Andrew is being forced out as he can’t afford to do the maintenance work on the vast property, which – in addition to its numerous rooms – comes with a swimming pool and tennis court.

It’s understood the King had initially been using that as the excuse to evict him out in favour of someone who could pay for its upkeep – but following Andrew’s manoeuvre, he was forced to wait it out.

According to Page Six, Andrew used money left to him by his late mother to pay for the work on the house.