What’s next for Andrew? The civilian formerly known as ‘prince’
Stripped of his royal title, evicted from his rent-free home near Windsor Castle and his public reputation in tatters, Prince Andrew faces a dramatically changed future.
The man once known as Prince Andrew was probably accompanied by a fleet of trucks to his brother King Andrew III. He is expected to move to an isolated private estate owned by Charles.
This dramatic change in circumstances led to the death of King Henry III. It follows Charles’ unprecedented decision to preserve the monarchy by stripping his younger brother of his titles and evicting him. This action serves as a direct result of serious errors of judgment regarding her friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Joe Little, editor of Majesty Magazine, commented: “On a personal level this must have been quite devastating and the ultimate humiliation for him,” Little said. “We know he’s a pretty arrogant character, but this must be taking a toll on him mentally. It would be very strange if it wasn’t.”
He is scaling back his excavations.
It was not clear exactly which house the civilian, now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, would occupy on the king’s private estate at Sandringham, 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of London. But it will undoubtedly be smaller than the Royal Lodge, the 30-room luxury home that lives up to its rustic name.
The Epstein drama reignited as it emerged Andrew had been friends with the disgraced financier for longer than previously disclosed, while his grip on the property weakened despite a “cast iron” lease. There is almost half a century left on the lease, which calls for just one pound per year, a historical and symbolic figure often used in real estate transactions.
Andrew, 65, didn’t put up a fight when he received notice to surrender the lease on the 99-acre (50-hectare) property, which included a swimming pool, several cabins and a bird sanctuary.
As soon as possible, he will move to Sandringham, Charles’ long-time retreat on the windswept North Sea coast of eastern England. The 20,000-acre (8,000 ha) estate is where the family spends Christmas.
It has not been revealed how quickly he will move, however, although he is not expected to be among other members of the family seen walking towards church on Christmas morning.
Impact on family
The move to protect the crown from scandal-ridden Andrew will not just affect the former prince.
His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who was also involved in the Epstein scandal, shared the Royal Lodge with him. Ferguson, who is no longer known as the Duchess of York, will have to find a new place to live.
However, the couple’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, were married to the reigning Queen Elizabeth II. As they are descendants of Elizabeth, they will retain their titles along with HRH representing her majesty.
King’s special bag to support his brother
The king steps in with his private fortune to financially support his brother, whose money problems have been at the center of previous scandals over shady business dealings and questionable dealings.
Andrew stopped being a working member of the royal family in 2019 after he was suspended following an ill-fated interview in which he attempted to defend his relationship with Epstein. He has no known source of income other than a modest pension from his 22-year Royal Navy career.
George Gross, a royal expert from King’s College London, said financial regulation made sense. This protects the king from criticism of Andrew’s public purse and shows that he has not abandoned his brother.
“If Andrew can’t be a royal and is probably unemployed, then there needs to be some thought about what to do with him for the rest of his life,” Gross said. “In some ways it’s obviously important that his needs are met, because otherwise he becomes a potential pawn for anyone with negative or malicious intentions.”
Holds place in line of succession
Although Andrew has lost his nobility, he remains eighth in line to the throne.
Removing him from the succession would require action by Parliament, which is unlikely at the moment.
MPs could have stripped Andrew of his titles, but the king moved partly to prevent the government from wasting time on the issue.
It is unknown whether there is a desire to address the succession issue later or whether the Epstein saga continues to bring damaging headlines.
Although he is technically a candidate to become king one day, Gross said: “Of course, that’s completely unrealistic.”
