Staff working on the grounds of Frogmore Cottage have allegedly placed a bet on who can spike Prince Andrew’s car with a bollard, according to an insider.

The wager reportedly dates back to 2016, after the Duke of York forced open closed gates while driving his Range Rover through Windsor Great Park. The prize — a bottle of malt whisky — is said to await whoever pulls off the stunt against the “arrogant and rude” prince.

Prince Andrew is currently residing at Royal Lodge, a sprawling 31-room Georgian mansion in Windsor, as he keeps a low profile amid the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking scandal. He has not paid rent for 22 years, and reports suggest King Charles is now pressuring his younger brother to vacate the property.

In recent weeks, decorators and contractors have been spotted working around the clock at nearby Frogmore Cottage — heightening speculation that Andrew’s move there is imminent.

The Grade II-listed residence was once home to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who vacated it officially in 2023. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had spent £2.4 million refurbishing the property in 2019, funds they later repaid to the Sovereign Grant. No one has lived there since, apart from Princess Eugenie, who stayed briefly during lockdown.

A source on the Crown Estate in Windsor said: “The cottage is finished and ready for its new tenant, whoever it may be. We’ve always found Prince Andrew to be arrogant and rude, even before the Epstein scandal. While Harry and Meghan largely kept to themselves, he wanted special treatment — like having barriers lifted instead of driving the normal route to Windsor Castle.