Andrew will receive a one-off payment to cover his move from Windsor to private accommodation in Sandringham, Norfolk, followed by the regular stipend to prevent him from “overspending in his new life as a commoner”
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is reportedly in line for a hefty six-figure sum and an annual payment as part of his “relocation settlement” after being ousted from the Royal Lodge.
The former prince Andrew is set to receive a one-off payment to facilitate his move from Windsor to private lodgings in Sandringham, Norfolk, followed by a regular allowance to prevent him from “overspending in his new life as a commoner”, according to The Guardian.
This annual stipend, privately funded by King Charles, is said to be worth several times more than his £20,000-a-year navy pension, the newspaper reports.
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News of this payout emerges amidst claims that the decision to strip Andrew of his honours and titles was influenced by the Queen’s concerns about his impact on her work with sex abuse victims.
The Daily Telegraph suggests that Camilla was deeply disturbed by Andrew’s association with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and felt the ongoing scandal was hindering her public duties.
The Queen, who has long supported survivors of sexual assaults and domestic abuse, was recently revealed in a new book to have fought off a man who groped her on a train when she was a teenager.
The Times also reported that Andrew agreed to vacate Windsor after his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson made it clear that she would be leaving the property. Ferguson will not be relocating to Sandringham and will need to find her own residence.
The King removed his younger brother’s Prince and Duke of York titles in a dramatic announcement on Thursday evening, with Buckingham Palace emphasising that both he and Camilla’s sympathies lie with abuse survivors.
The statement read: “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
It is understood the removal was driven by “serious lapses of judgment” by Andrew, with the final decision taken by the King alongside support from his wider family, including the Prince of Wales.
Earlier in October, it was revealed Andrew had agreed to cease using his titles but would keep his prince status and dukedom before the publication of the late Virginia Giuffre’s memoirs, who had accused the former duke of sexually assaulting her as a teenager.
Andrew vehemently denies the allegations.
The Daily Telegraph reported the Queen felt “deeply uncomfortable” about fronting anti-abuse campaigns, including domestic abuse charity SafeLives where she serves as patron, whilst Andrew remained in the public eye.
The assault on Camilla during the 1960s was disclosed in the book, Power And The Palace: The Inside Story Of The Monarchy And 10 Downing Street by Valentine Low, a former Royal correspondent for The Times newspaper. The King’s actions have effectively put an end to Andrew’s public life, and he has also relinquished his 30-room Royal Lodge home in Windsor.
He will relocate to the private Sandringham estate, although he may not depart until the new year.
Sandringham in Norfolk is the traditional Christmas gathering spot for members of the Royal family, and the delay ensures any potential encounter with Andrew over the festive period is avoided.
There have also been a series of damaging newspaper allegations, including claims that Andrew attempted to enlist the Metropolitan Police to unearth dirt for a smear campaign against Ms Giuffre.
The force previously stated it is investigating the allegations after the Mail on Sunday newspaper alleged Andrew passed Ms Giuffre’s date of birth and social security number to his taxpayer-funded bodyguard in 2011 and asked him to investigate.
The Public Accounts Committee has already confirmed it is writing to the Crown Estate, effectively Andrew’s landlord, and the Treasury asking for further information about the prince’s lease which sparked public outrage when it was revealed he was paying a “peppercorn” rent.
King Charles’ actions are already producing results, as Prince Andrew’s name has been removed from the official roll of the peerage, meaning his Duke of York title will no longer be used in an official capacity.
Within the coming days, the King is expected to send Lord Chancellor David Lammy the Royal warrant affecting the dukedom, along with letters patent that will formally strip Andrew of his right to use the prince title and HRH style.
Andrew withdrew from public duties in 2019 following his catastrophic Newsnight interview regarding his association with Jeffrey Epstein, and as a non-working Royal he does not serve as a counsellor of state, who can stand in for the monarch during overseas official visits or illness.
He remains eighth in the line of succession, but in the extremely unlikely event Andrew were poised to become monarch, public pressure would almost certainly intervene.
However, there have been demands to introduce legislation preventing any possibility, no matter how remote, of him ascending to the throne.
York Central MP Rachael Maskell said Parliament should find time to remove Andrew from the line of succession, stating: “I don’t think these things will take a lot of time. It’s a couple of small clauses in a piece of legislation.”
Downing Street confirmed there were no plans for legislative changes when questioned about potentially making it simpler to strip peerages in future or remove Andrew from the line of succession. The former duke held a “cast-iron” lease for his Royal Lodge residence, and only following discussions with the King’s representatives did he agree to formally relinquish the tenancy on Thursday, despite having over half a century remaining on the agreement.
Reports suggest Andrew won’t be relocating to Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate, the intimate retreat once cherished by the late Queen and her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, who favoured its homely atmosphere over the grandeur of the main Sandringham House.
However, several alternative properties are on offer, from Park House, where Diana, Princess of Wales, was born and spent her early years, to York Cottage, the former home of King George V before he ascended to the throne.
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