Prince Andrew ‘reluctant’ to go to Frogmore but ‘must leave mansion due to damp’

Prince Andrew’s resistance to leaving his Royal Lodge home could be unstuck because of massive damp problems.

The enormous mansion, complete with 31 bedrooms, is thought to need huge amounts of work done to it.

The works are expected to cost millions, with damp management and roof repairs all understood to be on the shopping list.

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The Duke has been offered Frogmore Cottage instead, the five-bedroom home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Were he to stay in Royal Lodge the Duke would now be unlikely to be able to afford the repairs himself given that he is having his annual royal funding – worth £250,000 – pulled from underneath him.

The Duke has been lucky enough to call Royal Lodge home for over 20 years and so a move to the former grounds worker's apartments at Frogmore will likely feel like a bit of a downsize.

It will reportedly also likely come with substantial upkeep costs.

Andrew had a 75-year lease on the Lodge that he only started in 2003.

Following the death of the Queen mother he took over the property and is understood to have spent £7.5million doing it up.

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But in recent years it is thought to have had little work done on it and is now in desparate need of a bit of love, making things complicated for Andrew if he wants to make staying there stick.

An insider told The Sun: “Royal Lodge is in a terrible state and it is falling down. Millions were spent when Andrew moved in but that was 20 years ago. Barely any work has gone on for two decades and people are shocked when they visit.

“There is a serious issue with damp that needs to be rectified and that isn’t cheap on a house of that size. It also needs a new roof.

“Not only does Andrew not have the finances to bring the home up to scratch, it would be uninhabitable when the work is being carried out.”

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