Prince Andrew faces huge bill for repairs at crumbling Royal Lodge

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Prince Andrew is staring down the barrel of a £1million bill for urgent repairs following an inspection on his deteriorating mansion.The Duke of York has been informed that his 30-room Royal Lodge residence is in "desperate" need of repair and teeters on the brink of "irrevocable decay".Royal insiders have disclosed that Andrew had initiated talks with representatives of the Crown Estate, although negotiations are now said to be at a standstill.

Exclusive photos from The Mirror show the property in a sorry state, with large cracks in the masonry, flaking plaster and discoloured paint around the main house and staff quarters.It's understood that the 64-year-old has assured he would be able to shoulder the financial responsibilities necessary for essential repairs.

As recently as 2019, the house had been painted and showed no signs of dilapidation.However, the 19th-century Grade II listed property, estimated to be worth around £30million, has plunged into severe disrepair, with escalating levels of damp and mould both inside and outside the buildings, reports the Mirror.The flat roof to the main structure is on the verge of total collapse having been neglected for two decades, leading to significant damp issues both externally and internally.

Reputable building firms in the area estimate the works will cost £600,000 to tackle the damp, fill substantial cracks to the exterior and re-render the outside.The extensive scaffolding required for the mansion alone, estimated by local firm BCD Scaffolding, would cost around £200,000 and would be needed for a year.