Ex-Prince Andrew leaves Windsor home after latest Epstein revelations

LONDON, Feb 4 (Reuters) – King Charles’ brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has moved out of his stately home following damaging new revelations about his links to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a royal source confirmed on Wednesday.

The Sun newspaper said the 65-year-old former prince had hoped to stay longer at Royal Lodge, his decades-old home in Windsor, but was shrouded in darkness on Monday and taken to a cottage at Sandringham, the king’s Norfolk estate.

A royal source confirmed he is currently based there but said he could return to Windsor occasionally as the transition phase is completed in the coming weeks.

“He was made clear that with the latest set of Epstein files, it was time to go,” a friend was quoted as saying by the Sun. he said.

“Leaving was so humiliating for him that he chose to do it under the cover of darkness.”

Charles stripped Andrew of his titles in October and said he would move out after details emerged about his ongoing relationship with Epstein.

The King also expressed his sympathy for victims of abuse.

New files on Epstein released by the US Department of Justice on Friday included emails that suggested Andrew maintained regular contact with Epstein for more than two years after he was convicted of child sex crimes.

He has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has previously refused to maintain ties to the financier after Epstein’s 2008 conviction, apart from a visit to New York in 2010 to end their relationship.

(Reporting by Sarah Young and ‌Michael Holden, Editing by Paul Sandle)