Scandalous history of Prince Andrew's new Sandringham home as he's set to leave Royal Lodge
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is vacating his Windsor mansion
King Charles has “initiated a formal process” to strip Prince Andrew of all his royal titles as he prepares to move out of Royal Lodge and reportedly to the Sandringham estate.
This is everything we know about Prince Andrew’s new Sandringham home…
Prince Andrew to move to Sandringham
The royal has faced scrutiny over his association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for many years.
Andrew was also accused of sexual assault, allegations he has always vehemently denied.
On October 17, Andrew announced that he would stop using his Duke of York title.
Less than two weeks later, it was shared that he will lose his title as a “prince”. He is also set to leave his 30-room Windsor mansion, Royal Lodge.
Consequently, Andrew, who is now to be officially known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, will reportedly be moving to a home at on the Sandringham Estate, in Norfolk.
The scandalous history behind Sandringham estate
Fittingly, the royal that the £60 million estate was first bought for, more than 160 years ago, was also embroiled in scandal.
It seems Prince Andrew’s story parallels that of Edward VII, for whom the estate was purchased in the 1860s.
Edward, who was known as Albert, Prince of Wales, was the first royal resident at the estate.
He was reportedly a model of impropriety. His life has since been described as drenched in scandal.
Edward, the eldest son of Queen Victoria, was allegedly a frequenter of brothels and had a penchant for gambling. Famously, he ended up giving evidence in court amid the baccarat scandal – a national sensation which sullied his reputation.
King Edward VII‘s life was ‘drenched’ in scandal
The baccarat scandal was a gambling affair that took place in 1890, which saw a friend of Edward, Sir William Gordon-Cumming, accused of cheating at a card game named baccarat, in which the prince was in attendance.
In an attempt to cover up Edward’s involvement in the game, his courtiers and accusers allegedly pressured Gordon-Cumming to sign a document that would promise his silence and that he would never play cards again.
He did so, whilst pleading his innocence.
However, the prince wasn’t in the clear. The story leaked out into London society and Gordon-Cumming, with his reputation in shreds, demanded a public retraction from his accusers.
They refused and he went on to sue them for slander in June of 1891.
The unpopularity of Edward following the baccarat scandal
The then-Prince of Wales was called to the witness box, a first for an heir to the throne since 1411.
Despite Gordon-Cumming being ostracised from public life, public opinion was largely on his side.
Unfortunately for Edward, the ordeal left him pretty unpopular with his people.
Subsequently, Victoria and Prince Albert were reportedly very concerned about their son’s lifestyle and the negative attention he was bringing to the palace.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert ‘hid’ Prince Edward away from the public eye
Because of this, they investigated 18 possible country estates that could be suitable homes for the prince, away from the public eye.
His story has similarities to Prince Andrew’s, with both men’s reputations tainted by scandal and surrounded by speculation.
A newspaper report in The Times today reads: “There is something oddly fitting about Andrew Mountbatten Windsor ending up in a home on the Sandringham estate.”
Currently, no royal lives permanently at the estate. However, it is known to be the residence of choice for the royals to host Christmas.
Sandringham has remained a private royal estate since it was purchased as a country home for Prince Edward in 1862.
Where will Prince Andrew live at Sandringham?
The sprawling estate doesn’t seem to be much of a downgrade from Andrew’s seven-bedroom pad in Windsor.
According to reports, Prince Andrew previously hosted Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at the estate in 2000, to allegedly mark Maxwell’s birthday, where they were photographed at a December pheasant shoot.
However, Prince Andrew told BBC Newsnight the event was “a straightforward shooting weekend”.
The main house at Sandringham boasts an estimated 100 to 200 rooms.
Sandringham Estate itself is vast and is also home to 100 other residential properties in addition to the main house.
It is unclear which accommodation will become home to Andrew. It is said, however, that any future housing will be privately funded by the king, according to reports.
King Charles strips Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of his title
A statement from the palace read on Thursday: “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.
“Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.
“Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
Read more: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s sad reason they don’t show Archie and Lilibet’s faces
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