The United Kingdom's Prince Andrew announced in 2019 that he would be stepping down from his royal duties following criticism of his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Yet despite the prince having given up his job, King Charles is apparently struggling to evict him from his lavish home. 

Author: King doesn't want "a knockdown drag-out with his brother"

According to Fox News, Prince Andrew has been residing since 2003 at the Royal Lodge, a $37 million property located in Windsor that costs an estimated $503,000 annually to maintain.

Christopher Andersen wrote "The King: The Life of Charles III," and he recently told Fox News that "Andrew isn't going anywhere for the time being."

"It's doubtful that King Charles - who, along with his daughter-in-law Kate Middleton, is battling cancer - is in the mood for a knockdown drag-out with his brother," Andersen explained.

"If and when Andrew does move, it will simply be because he doesn't have the money to heat Royal Lodge or keep the lights on," the author explained.

Fight playing out amid Britain's housing crisis

"In the meantime, Frogmore will likely remain empty. It's worth noting that the King had better luck evicting Andrew from Buckingham Palace, where the Duke of York has maintained his private apartment for decades," Andersen continued.

King Charles desperate to avoid ‘knockdown’ war with Prince Andrew, who refuses to leave lavish digs: expert https://t.co/HTCsz8fjXM

— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 1, 2024

"The royals have always played musical chairs, moving from one grandiose residence to another as the seasons change - or simply on a whim," he pointed out.

"[But] vast estates left unoccupied for long periods - not a good look, some members of Parliament have pointed out, for a country facing a housing crisis," Andersen concluded.

Charles wants brother to occupy home abandoned by Prince Harry

Fox News noted that King Charles is attempting to have his brother move into Frogmore Cottage, a smaller property which was once inhabited by Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle.

A report from People magazine pointed out that the home, which was "built in 1801 under the direction of Queen Charlotte" and "was extensively renovated" for the prince and princess.

However, the estate has remained unoccupied since the pair relocated to the United States several years ago amid deteriorating relations with other members of the royal family.

Last month the Independent quoted an official as saying "I don’t think, at this point, I would speculate on who will be the future occupants of the cottage."