It means Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was known as Prince Andrew, won’t be present at Sandringham, King Charles’ private Norfolk estate during the festive season
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will have one last Christmas at his Royal Lodge home, it is reported.
Sources say it is welcome relief to the Royal Family because it keeps the former Duke of York, 65, away from Sandringham, King Charles’s private Norfolk estate during the festive season, when most of the senior royals are in residence. This situation would have been “suboptimal” and “quite awkward,” insiders believe.
One source said: “He won’t be anywhere near the Big House [the nickname given to the monarch’s home at Sandringham].” Senior members of the Royal Family typically gather at the estate and then walk with the King to church on Christmas morning before enjoying a meal back at Sandringham House.
But it is understood the former Prince Andrew will not be moving to Sandringham, and into permanent royal exile, until well into the New Year.
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Buckingham Palace announced last month that the King had finally decided to strip his brother of the scraps of his royal status and move him out of Windsor — but would only say it would happen “as soon as practicable.”
But Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has lived on the Windsor Estate for more than 30 years, and moving to his new home is expected to present “quite a substantial logistical process, if nothing else”. The Daily Mail says the “practicalities” of packing up Andrew’s belongings at ten-bedroom Royal Lodge means it will be a while before he is moved yet.
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The father of two also needs to negotiate the ending of his 75-year lease on the property from the Crown Estate early, which some fear could see him in line to collect compensation given the work he has already carried out on the property. However, it is said having the disgraced dad physically close to the family at Christmas would only make the King’s decision look all barbed.
Andrew has now lost everything over his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He, though, denies any wrongdoing. Sandringham was picked for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor because it’s the King’s own private estate — meaning Andrew’s living arrangements can finally be handled, and crucially bankrolled, behind closed doors. By contrast, Royal Lodge sits on Crown Estate land, whose profits go straight to the Government.
While the monarch finally caved in recently and decided to evict Andrew from Royal Lodge, it was deemed both his daughters; Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie would keep their titles.
It is said Charles came to this decision after reaching “a secret deal” with his brother. This has reportedly now strengthened Beatrice and Eugenie’s prospects, as Beatrice, 37, has been appointed recently as the new Deputy Patron of charity Outward Bound, which has close links with The Firm.
