NOT WORKING OUT

‘Comfort Eating’ Prince Andrew Is Reportedly Piling on the Pounds

Andrew has faced a stressful battle by his brother to remove him from his home, and his weight has shot up, says a British tabloid.

Prince Andrew has piled on weight amidst his brother King Charles’ attempts to kick him out of his home, after giving up a diet which was making him miserable and grumpy, it was reported Monday.

A report in British tabloid the Sun said that Andrew’s weight is now approaching 15 stone. The paper says he has been “comfort eating” to cope with his ongoing argument with his brother, who wants him to vacate his home, the palatial Royal Lodge.

The Sun says Andrew’s weight gain has been shown during recent horse riding trips.

Royal author, biographer and historian Andrew Lownie, who is writing a new book about Andrew, whose favorite food is said to be steamed syrup pudding, told the paper: “He often diets, a bit like Fergie, who has been a regular dieter. He can go up and down between 13 and 15 stone.”

Royal biographer Margaret Holder said: “He was quite chubby as a child but then so were Charles and Anne at times if you look back at the pictures… I think he is a comfort eater basically.”

The focus on Andrew’s weight comes days after friends of Prince Andrew told The Daily Beast that Andrew intends to continue to live in Royal Lodge and plans on leaving the vast property to his children, after an extensive report in the London Times detailed how the king was renewing his efforts to kick Andrew out, threatening him with being cut off financially if he did not comply.

According to the paper, Palace insiders have dubbed the affair the Siege of Royal Lodge.

One outraged friend of Andrew’s told The Daily Beast: “Andrew has no intention of moving out, and it’s extraordinary that his brother has chosen to reopen this battle via anonymous briefings to the press. It’s like they [the Palace] have learned nothing from the whole Harry and Meghan debacle. Andrew does not have a huge amount in his life anymore, the house is one of the few things keeping him going, and the idea that he is going to throw that away along with his children’s inheritance is just absurd.

“The place is perfectly well maintained and the notion that Andrew is in dire financial straits is not remotely accurate. He still has the support of plenty of friends and has plenty of business interests.”

See more of our coverage in your search results.

ADD THE DAILY BEAST ON GOOGLE

Tom SykesEuropean Editor at Large

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.