Frogmore Cottage, once the UK home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has become a central point in the ongoing dynamics within the Royal Family.
King Charles is reportedly striving to maintain a peaceful atmosphere within the royal household, keen to avoid a repeat of the public tension between his sons, Prince Harry and Prince William. According to royal experts, the King is focused on keeping the family united, especially amid ongoing controversies involving his brother, Prince Andrew.
This past Christmas, Prince Andrew made the decision to step away from the Royal Family's traditional Christmas celebrations at Sandringham. Reports had linked him to an alleged Chinese "spy," which likely influenced his decision to spend the holidays instead at Royal Lodge with his former wife, Sarah Ferguson.
Royal Lodge has been a point of contention for years between King Charles and Prince Andrew. The King had previously suggested that Andrew and Sarah move into Frogmore Cottage, which was Harry and Meghan’s former home in the UK. This suggestion, viewed by some as an attempt to downsize Andrew’s lifestyle, came alongside Charles's decision to end his brother’s £1 million annual allowance, which Andrew had relied on since stepping down from royal duties in 2019.
Despite this financial setback, Andrew has reportedly secured alternative funding, allowing him to continue living at Royal Lodge for now.
A former BBC royal correspondent pointed out that while King Charles has taken firm action regarding his brother's finances, he is also making an effort to avoid completely isolating him. “Nothing will change the fact that Andrew is Charles’s brother,” the correspondent said, emphasizing that Charles is keen on keeping things “calm and under control.”
Unlike the strained relationship between Prince Harry and Prince William, who are reportedly not speaking to each other, King Charles seems determined to manage Andrew’s controversies without letting them escalate further.
Insiders within the Royal Family suggest that the coming year will test Charles’s ability to balance familial loyalty with the expectations of the public and the traditional duties of the monarchy.
