King Charles could be forced cut off utilities at the Royal Lodge as troublesome Prince Andrew refuses to leave the property despite his requests, according to insiders.
The Duke of York - who is said to be in a 'fragile' state - is refusing to hand over the keys to the royal mansion in Windsor, and has even reportedly claimed that his older sibling does not have the power to evict him.
Despite earlier reports saying that the monarch would not take this action against Andrew, one royal source told the Mail on Sunday that he is concerned he may cut him off if the King feels he is left with no other choice.
They said: “He’s concerned now the Coronation is over, the knives are out. He’s worried that the royals might even turn off the utilities to get him out of there. But we’re dealing with human beings, not real estate.”
It comes after other sources claimed the disgraced Duke of York intended to 'see out' the 55 years left on a lease he signed at the £30million mansion two decades ago.
King Charles is said to have put pressure him to to move into Frogmore Cottage instead, so he can make way for Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales' young family.
Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson currently live in separate wings of the Royal Lodge, which is located about three miles south of Windsor Castle.
It was reported that palace chiefs initially set a September deadline for the former couple to vacate the residence, but had later accepted that this was too soon.
The length of the lease and the fact it's in Andrew's name could pose the King some problems in his quest to move the Duke, according to one insider who recently spoke to The Times.
They said: “This is a lease between him and the Crown Estate. That’s not a matter for the King. It’s a matter for the chancellor of the exchequer. The only way you could get him to move out would be through an arrangement — he would have to agree."
