The former Prince Andrew might have been stripped of his titles and ordered to vacate Royal Lodge, but he still hasn’t quite left for his exile at Sandringham. And that means that he’s still in the general consciousness and still close enough to the rest of the royal family to cause a little bit of controversy. This was proven by Andrew’s first public sighting after news that his titles were stripped was announced.
Andrew was recently photographed riding his horse around Windsor, and the fact that he was might end up moving up the timetable for his exit from Royal Lodge. A source told the Daily Mail that his being in Windsor is “not a good look” for King Charles, or for Prince William or Kate Middleton, who just moved into the area.
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“It’s really not a good look. The King won’t be happy that his brother has been photographed riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle, which after all is funded by the taxpayer,” the insider says, adding that Kate and William are likely to be on the same page. “That move to Sandringham can’t come soon enough to get him away from Windsor.”
No timetable has yet been given for Andrew’s move, but some sources have said it might take “months” for him to move out.
“I gather Andrew and Fergie are both feeling the strain,” the source added. “Their family and friends are worried about their mental health and the King does feel he has a duty of care to his brother. He’s been holed up at Royal Lodge for weeks.”
All of this comes after reports that Andrew’s life after he moves won’t be that bad. Crown and Controversy podcast creator John McDermott told GB News that Andrew is moving to King Charles’ private Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, which will change his life, but not as much as expected.
“I think some people picture him living in a cave somewhere,” McDermott said. “The reality is more nuanced. His public life is gone, his world has shrunk dramatically, but he’ll still be living on an estate and has access to comfort.”
So, all in all, not as much of a punishment as some people believe the former Prince deserves. “It’s not Alcatraz,” McDermott added. “It’s a very specific kind of isolation—private, restricted, but still cushioned.”
If William and Kate aren’t happy about having him around, it reportedly goes far beyond his recent scandals. “The feud between Prince William and Prince Andrew started primarily due to Andrew’s jealousy and resulting disparaging remarks regarding Kate Middleton,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “Prince William was infuriated,” she added, “Being fiercely protective, he instituted a zero-tolerance policy toward any wayward behavior or scandals involving Prince Andrew.”
And there have been plenty of scandals. Enough that royal biographer Christopher Wilson told The Telegraph, “I think to a large extent Charles has adhered to that as a safe policy—the moment you start tearing the family apart, where does it stop? With William, it will be a different approach—he has hard-nosed ideas about how the Royal family needs to appear in the frenzied social media world we now inhabit, and I think will be ruthless.”
