Prince Andrew is desperate to hold on to Royal Lodge in a bid to retain his “remaining power” after being downgraded in his royal status.
According to the Daily Express, Talk TV host Kevin O’Sullivan claimed the siege of the 30-room mansion after being asked to vacate it by King Charles is symbolic to the disgraced prince.
He said: "[Andrew] has lost everything. And he doesn't like it. Andrew thinks he should be allowed a way back [into the Fold], so him hanging on to the key of the Royal Lodge has become symbolic for him."
The royal commentator added: "It's a symbol of his remaining power. 'While I still got these keys, I can still stand up to my brother [King Charles].' That basically is it as I understand it."
For the unversed, the 75-year-old monarch threatened to pull funding of the Royal Lodge should he fails to vacate it for a more modest residence at Frogmore Cottage.
However, the Duke of York refuses to budge, backed by a 75-year lease under his name that he acquired following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Andrew was forced to step back from his position as a working royal in 2020, after his BBC Newsnight interview underscored his association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
During the same show, royal expert Kinsey Schofield noted: "I agree and looking at the pictures that we've seen over the last few weeks, it's a poor reflection on Prince Andrew that the building is falling to pieces and he's not really in a position to financially keep up with it at this point in time.
"He doesn't have a regular job and good luck finding one and with the way the world is right now, I think a lot of people are unhappy with his association with Jeffrey Epstein and they'd rather keep their distance."