Prince Andrew’s eviction date revealed – though where he will go remains uncertain
It is understood Andrew must leave the Royal Lodge by the end of January, despite being ordered to leave by the King this week.
In a historic move this week, Charles announced he would strip his brother of all his remaining titles, including ‘prince’, and evict him from the 30-room mansion at Windsor Manor.
Andrew’s move to an undisclosed property on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk was believed to happen as soon as possible.
But, Independent It understands Andrew could live at Royal Lodge until early 2026 and discussions are ongoing over which house on the Sandringham estate he will move into.
It is also understood that Sarah Ferguson has made it clear in previous meetings with Andrew that he has offered to accept any housing or financial assistance from the royal family, as suggested by the courtiers.
Charles’ announcement comes after weeks of intense pressure as his brother’s ties to pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to embarrass the monarchy.
Although Andrew has denied all of Epstein’s accusations, he is understood to believe there were “serious errors of judgment” on the part of Buckingham Palace.
On Friday, it was announced that his name had been removed from the official list of nobles, marking an important step in the official removal of his titles.
Dukes, including the Duke of York, are listed on the roll of nobility maintained in the Crown Office, and as Lord Chancellor, David Lammy is responsible for maintaining this.
Experts said questions could now be asked about Andrew’s place in the order of succession.
Although he is now known only as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and effectively lives as a commoner, he is eighth in line to the throne, behind Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
Joe Little, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said: “I’m sure someone will soon be asking why she hasn’t been removed from the line of succession, if they haven’t already.
“It would obviously be a disaster for him to become king, considering what he has in front of him. So wouldn’t it be better to remove him from the line of succession?”
This will be Andrew’s last Christmas at Windsor before he moves to Sandringham, which will be privately funded by the King.
The extensive Sandringham Estate includes 16,000 acres of farmland, 3,500 acres of woodland and 150 properties.
According to the website, the estate includes villages and hamlets including West Newton and Sherborne, with 13 villages containing permitted residential properties for people living and working locally.
Three of these, including a two-bedroom redbrick terraced house in Flitcham village, are currently listed for rent for £975 per calendar month.
Sandringham House, where the King usually spends Christmas, is located at the heart of the estate and has been the private home of five generations of British monarchs for more than 150 years.
In 1862 it was purchased as a private country house by the Prince of Wales, who later became Edward VII.
Like Andrew, Edward VII was marred by scandal. The prince, known as Bertie, had many mistresses, including stage actress Lillie Langtry and Queen Camilla’s ancestor Alice Keppel.
In 1870, the Crown volunteered as a witness in a divorce case in which Lady Harriet Mordaunt accused the heir to the throne of being one of her lovers.
The future Edward VII appeared as a witness again in June 1891 – this time at the Tranby Croft Affair trial to give evidence on a charge of libel arising from a card game.
Andrew faced fresh public criticism earlier this month after emails emerged that showed he had been in contact with Epstein for longer than he had previously admitted.
Palace officials hoped that forcing Andrew to renounce his title as Duke of York would draw a line to the anger, but pressure mounted after the posthumous publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoirs and details of the “pepper rent” deal emerged.
The family of Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, said in a statement that she “declared victory today” and “deposed a British prince with her integrity and extraordinary courage.”
