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Prince Andrew's fall from royal grace reached a new low this week - and it happened under the cover of darkness. According to royal sources cited by the Daily Mail, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was quietly removed from his longtime residence at Royal Lodge late Monday night, dispatched by car to Norfolk in what insiders described as a hastily arranged, near-secret operation. The move, sources say, was ordered after an urgent Sunday evening discussion between King Charles III and Prince William at Sandringham.
"It was done under the radar," one insider told the outlet. "Royal Lodge staff were left to pack up what remains of Andrew's belongings." The former prince is now said to be staying temporarily at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate while renovations continue on a more permanent residence at Marsh Farm.
The midnight relocation marks the latest chapter in Andrew's exile as renewed scrutiny swirls around his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The timing was deliberate, sources suggest, amid concerns that Andrew appeared increasingly disconnected from reality - and still clinging to the trappings of royal life despite his formal removal from the family's inner circle.
"Andrew is having difficulty acknowledging reality," one source said. "It was becoming a concern at the Palace, both for how it reflected on his mental state and how it would look to the public. Earlier this week, the BBC reported that Andrew was seen horseback riding near Royal Lodge and later waving to onlookers as he drove away from Windsor - behavior that reportedly alarmed senior royals. "Waving at the public harked back to his royal days," a source told the Daily Mail. "That couldn't continue."
Inside Prince Andrew's late-night removal from his royal home
Buckingham Palace has not commented publicly, but the groundwork for Andrew's removal was laid months ago. In October, King Charles formally initiated the process to strip Andrew of his remaining titles, including "Duke of York" and the style of "prince," while serving notice to surrender the lease on Royal Lodge. "His lease had provided legal protection," the Palace said at the time. "Formal notice has now been served, and he will move to alternative private accommodation." The statement added that the measures were deemed necessary despite Andrew's continued denial of all allegations.
The pressure intensified last week when the U.S. Department of Justice released more than three million documents related to Epstein, who died in prison in 2019. Among them were disturbing materials tied to Andrew, including a photo of him crouched over an unidentified woman, emails referencing the infamous image of Andrew with then-17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, and crude messages attributed to his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
British authorities are now reportedly reviewing allegations tied to an incident said to have occurred in 2010 at Andrew's former residence. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, the fallout has reportedly taken a toll on Andrew's daughter, Princess Eugenie, 35. "She feels like she's being tarnished with a brush that's not hers," a friend told Page Six. "She's very frustrated."
Sources say Andrew is now avoiding news coverage altogether, firmly believing he has done nothing wrong. "He feels harshly treated," one insider said. "Apologizing would imply guilt - and he won't do that." As for Ferguson, royal author Andrew Lownie claims she has likely fled abroad. "When there's a scandal, she runs away," he said. "Andrew is too toxic now. He's no longer useful to her."