Prince Andrew decides not to compromise on mental health amid row with King Charles

Prince Andrew has decided not to compromise on his mental health while dealing with a prolonged dispute with King Charles.

The estranged Prince Andrew has reportedly taken up an unusual new hobby while steadfastly refusing to leave the Royal Lodge, reported Mirror.

King Charles has been urging the Duke of York to vacate the £30 million Windsor mansion for over a year, but his efforts have been met with strong resistance from his disgraced brother.

Andrew is said to have informed the King that he plans to remain at the mansion for the remaining 55 years of his lease, which he signed two decades ago, despite suggestions to relocate to the nearby Frogmore Cottage, now vacant after being previously occupied by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Since being stripped of his royal titles in 2022, the 64-year-old Duke has reportedly taken up a few hobbies, including horse riding around Windsor Castle and playing golf. However, his most recent pastime—monitoring live global air traffic on a projector screen—is notably unconventional.

Royal correspondent Richard Kay wrote in the Daily Mail: “The one-time helicopter pilot – commended for his bravery in the Falklands War flying decoy missions to draw Argentine missiles away from the ships of the British task force – is able to watch flights landing and taking off at airports all over the globe. According to a visitor to Royal Lodge, the prince has become obsessed by the app beloved of planespotter nerds.”

Prince Andrew is grappling with increasing expenses as he insists on staying at the Royal Lodge. He relies on a Royal Navy pension and a royal living allowance of approximately £1 million per year. Since being dismissed from his role as a working royal two years ago, Andrew has been responsible for his own security and the maintenance costs of the 19th-century Grade II listed house. This includes a recent £200,000 bill for roof repairs.

Earlier this year, concerns emerged that King Charles might cut off the utilities at the Royal Lodge in a bid to pressure Andrew to leave. It is believed that the monarch intends for Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, to move into the property.

Currently, Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, reside in separate wings of the Royal Lodge, located about three miles south of Windsor Castle.