Duke of York: King Charles to 'withdraw private funding’ for Andrew's security at Royal Lodge

King Charles will withdraw private funding for the security operation at the Duke of York’s home, according to reports after pressure grows on Andrew as the unsealing of hundreds of pages of court documents connected to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal continues apace.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment, but The Telegraph said Andrew will have to fund the multi-million-pound security costs at Royal Lodge himself if he wants to stay in the 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park, as the monarch distancing himself publicly from his younger brother, who less than two weeks ago walked to church with the royal family on Christmas Day.

The latest batch of legal papers detailed how Epstein’s former housekeeper claimed Andrew had daily massages when he spent “weeks” at the financier’s Florida home.

Juan Alessi, who worked at Epstein’s Palm Beach residence, said both Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, were friends with Epstein and the now-convicted sex-trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

The duke greeted well-wishers outside church in Sandringham, Norfolk on 25 December, with Sarah back in the royal fold and at his side but as the New Year began, previous allegations Andrew sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre three times when she was 17 including during an orgy resurfaced in newly-published court documents.

He strenuously denies the claims, and in 2022 paid millions to Ms Giuffre to settle a civil case out of court, saying he never met her.

Whilst the Metropolitan Police said no new investigation has been launched, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, former head of the Crown Prosecution Service, said where “credible” accusations are made they should be investigated.

Republic – the anti-monarchist group – reported the duke to Scotland Yard and is calling for the accusations to be properly investigated in the UK.

During his video-taped interview under oath in 2009, Mr Alessi was questioned on the duke’s relationship with Maxwell and Epstein. When lawyer Katherine Ezell asked whether Andrew and Sarah ever had massages at the Florida home. Mr Alessi replied: “Prince Andrew did. I think Sarah was there only once and for a short time. I don’t think she slept in there. I cannot remember. I think she was visiting Wellington and she came to the house and we met her. But Prince Andrew, yes, Prince Andrew spent weeks with us.”

Ms Ezell then asked: “Where would he sleep?” He replied: “In the main room, the main guest bedroom. That was the blue room.”

The lawyer then said: “And, so, when he would come and stay, during that time would he frequently have massages?

Mr Alessi replied: “I would say, daily massages.”

In a further interview under oath by an Epstein employee, who is labelled only as “the witness” in the documents, they claimed Maxwell took the financier to England “to introduce him to royalty”.

The staff member said there were “many pictures” of the duke with Epstein in the property they worked at but they also said they never saw the duke visit the property, but “he called”.

It was previously reported the duke was offered the much smaller Frogmore Cottage, which used to be home to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in a bid to relocate him from Royal Lodge. But the duke was said to have signed a 75-year lease on the mansion in 2003.

Andrew attended the King and Queen’s coronation in May, despite stepping down from public life in 2019 over his friendship with Epstein.