Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has left his long time royal residence at Royal Lodge, marking another significant step in his withdrawal from official royal life. The move follows earlier actions by King Charles III to strip him of royal titles and honors.
Departure From Royal Lodge
ABC News confirmed that Mountbatten-Windsor is no longer living at Royal Lodge, a 30 room mansion located on the Windsor Estate where he had resided for more than two decades. Buckingham Palace has not issued a public comment on the move.
Although he was photographed riding a horse in Windsor Great Park earlier this week, Mountbatten-Windsor has formally vacated the property.
Relocation to Sandringham
Mountbatten-Windsor will now live permanently on the privately owned Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. The estate, owned by King Charles, is located more than 100 miles from Windsor.
Plans for the relocation began in October, when Buckingham Palace announced that the king had initiated the removal of Mountbatten-Windsor’s remaining styles, titles, and honors. At the same time, the palace confirmed that formal notice had been served to end his lease at Royal Lodge.
Context of the Move
The decision was widely viewed as the latest consequence of Mountbatten-Windsor’s association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
The timing of Mountbatten-Windsor’s departure coincides with the public release by the United States Department of Justice of millions of pages of documents related to Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor’s name appears in those records through correspondence with Epstein, including communications that continued after Epstein’s release from jail in 2009.
Denials and Ongoing Scrutiny
Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has stated in the past that he severed ties with him. The newly released documents, however, show continued communication beyond the period he previously acknowledged.
Representatives for Mountbatten-Windsor have not publicly commented on the move.
Conclusion
Prince Andrew’s departure from Royal Lodge and relocation to Sandringham underscores his continued removal from the center of royal life. As the British monarchy under King Charles seeks to reinforce standards of accountability and public trust, the move represents another symbolic step in distancing the institution from controversy.