In the quiet of a winter's night, far from the glare of flashbulbs that once followed his every move, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has vacated his long-time sanctuary at Royal Lodge. The departure, described by many as occurring under the 'cover of darkness', marks a definitive and sombre end to his two-decade residence at the sprawling 30-room Windsor estate.
The former Duke of York is understood to have left the property on Monday evening, Feb. 3, 2026, ahead of the schedule many royal watchers had anticipated. It was widely believed he would be allowed to remain until his 66th birthday on Feb. 19, but the relentless pressure of a new scandal appears to have accelerated his exit. Driven 132 miles from Windsor to Sandringham in the dead of night, he reportedly sought to avoid a public 'emotional goodbye' to a home filled with family memories, where he had shared many years with his children and former wife.
King Charles Acts Amid New Andrew Scandal
The catalyst for this abrupt relocation appears to be a fresh barrage of revelations involving the late, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. While Andrew has consistently and vehemently denied any wrongdoing, the sheer volume of newly released material — some 3 million documents made public by the US Department of Justice — has made his continued presence at the heart of the Windsor estate untenable for the monarchy.
Among the most unsettling disclosures is an email exchange from August 2010. In a note to Epstein, Andrew reportedly expressed a desire to be the financier's 'pet' while discussing a hitherto unspecified business deal in London.
This informal, uneasy language has reignited public fury, particularly as it contradicts his previous assertions regarding the nature and duration of their association. For King Charles III, the priority has remained the protection of the crown's reputation, leading to the 'nuclear option' of a forced eviction.
From Royal Lodge to a Temporary Life at Wood Farm
For the time being, Andrew has found a temporary base at Wood Farm Cottage on the Sandringham Estate. The property carries a poignant legacy, having served as the quiet retirement retreat for his late father, Prince Philip.
However, the move is merely a stopgap. A permanent move to Marsh Farm, also situated on the Norfolk estate, is expected to take place in early April 2026 once ongoing renovations are complete.
The humiliation of the move was not lost on those close to him. Sources suggest he had hoped to 'cling on' to Royal Lodge for a little longer, but the latest batch of files made it clear that the grace period had expired.
The eviction marks a total collapse of his former status; having already been stripped of his HRH style and military honours, he now finds himself living in a property owned privately by the king rather than a Crown Estate mansion.
As he prepares to turn 66, the man once second in line to the throne is facing a future defined by what experts describe as 'shame and obscurity.' Despite his continued denials, the shadow of the Epstein files looms larger than ever, following him from the gilded halls of Windsor to the isolated reaches of Norfolk.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
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