King Charles May Have Chosen Who’s Getting Prince Andrew’s Royal Estate

After speculation about Prince Andrew possibly getting evicted from his royal home made headlines recently, a new twist to the royal family’s real estate situation may be in the works thanks to King Charles. The monarch may be thanking the royal family’s “secret weapon,” Duchess Sophie and Prince Andrew, by gifting them Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate. Currently, that’s where Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, live.

Royal expert Richard Kay told the Daily Mail that the king has considered gifting the property to his youngest brother as a way to thank him and his wife, Duchess Sophie, for stepping up and stepping in for Charles and Kate Middleton as they navigate their health issues.

“Charles has entertained the thought of offering Royal Lodge to his youngest brother, Prince Edward. The two haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but the king has been hugely impressed by the manner in which Edward and his wife, Sophie, have increased their workload since their elevation to Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh,” Kay said. “The couple have filled in the many gaps created by the absence of both Kate and himself while they underwent cancer treatment.”

The Mirror adds that Sophie and the late Queen Elizabeth II grew close after the duchess married Edward in 1999. Her recent royal duties included taking a four-day secret visit to Iraq last month. She also regularly attends Royal Ascot and Wimbledon and has a sweet relationship with Princess Charlotte.

The BBC’s Jennie Bond explained that Sophie is beloved by the public and that she’s charming and humble, which make her an asset to the royals when they need someone to report for duty.

“Sophie is a natural, humble woman—clearly still very much in love with her husband—and a woman who has grown into her role without fuss or fanfare,” Bond said, adding that she’s also grown close to Middleton. “By nature, Sophie is a kind and generous person who has always been happy to act as sounding board, mentor, confidante…or sometimes just another girl to share a giggle with. So, I have no doubt that Sophie has been someone to whom Catherine has frequently turned.”

The Mirror also reports that Andrew has been offered to use of a smaller royal property: Queen Elizabeth’s Craigowan cottage on Balmoral estate. It has seven bedrooms and is famous for being where then-Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana announced their engagement in 1981.