Revealed: Inside the heavily guarded £10million luxury villa owned by Abu Dhabi royal family that Andrew may soon be calling home
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor could be home to this £10 million luxury villa on the Abu Dhabi royal family’s fortified mansion; The Mail on Sunday can offer a behind-the-scenes look at the opulent marble surfaces.
The luxury property is located next to the headquarters of the Emirati navy in the Maritime Palace compound, the heavily guarded residence of the UAE’s ruling family.
Andrew, 65, was offered the use of the waterfront house by president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nayhan, whom he met when he was a student at Gordonstoun School.
Sheikh Mohammed, Queen Elizabeth II Following Elizabeth’s death, he ordered the renovation of a private villa within the complex.
Designers said the renovated villa aims to blend classic grandeur with a ‘young and fun’ interior, using bold colors and marble finishes to modernize the ‘palace-style’ home.
The six-bedroom property, which includes a home cinema, indoor plunge pool and gym, offers the disgraced former prince the chance to live away from the media spotlight.
In a particularly large kitchen, cordon bleu cooks work, with equipment such as light switches, lamps and taps decorated with gold.
When the Sea Palace, built in the 18th century as a watchtower to protect against raiders at sea, was placed at Andrew’s disposal in 2010, Buckingham Palace was keen to emphasize that it was not a direct gift.
UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nayhan offered 65-year-old Andrew Mountbatten Windsor (right) the use of a waterfront house (pictured left)
The six-bedroom property, which has a home cinema, indoor plunge pool and gym, offers the disgraced former prince the chance to live out of the media spotlight
The luxury property is located next to the headquarters of the Emirati navy in the Maritime Palace compound, the heavily guarded residence of the UAE’s ruling family.
Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, said it was ‘perfect for Andrew’: ‘He would be happy to live somewhere where the media was silenced, where he would still be treated as a senior royal and where he could easily live under the radar.
‘His personal relationships with young women are unlikely to be examined in Abu Dhabi.
‘There was much speculation that Andrew might split his time between the UK and the UAE, using this property as a base.’
The villa is believed to have been used extensively by both Andrew and his daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie in the past.
The prospect of Andrew starting a life in exile in the Gulf is the culmination of a long-standing friendship with Sheikh Mohammed, 64, known as ‘MBZ’.
He began visiting Abu Dhabi from 2001 as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, and was forced to resign a decade later due to his friendship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
He met his one-time girlfriend, businesswoman Amanda Staveley, there in 2001; Amanda Staveley reportedly turned down a marriage proposal.
The villa is believed to have been used extensively by both Andrew and his daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie in the past.
It was rumored that he had a love affair with Lebanese-born Christina Keserwan, who was 17 years younger than him, in 2002, while she was playing for MBZ’s racehorse team.
If he moves, he would be next door to Spain’s former king Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014 following a scandal linked to deals in Saudi Arabia.
Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson is said to be considering leaving the UK.
A source said: ‘There’s not much to keep him here apart from his children and grandchildren. Let me put it this way, the invitations dried up overnight.’
