Ex-Prince Andrew Is Out of His Royal Digs Amid Epstein Fallout

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has quietly traded his grand Windsor address for a spot in rural Norfolk. CNN reports that the king's younger brother, formerly Prince Andrew, has moved out of the 30-room Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate and is now living on King Charles III's Sandringham estate. The shift follows an October order that he vacate the Royal Lodge, a move tied to Charles' decision to remove him from official royal life amid the continuing fallout from Andrew's association with Jeffrey Epstein.

The relocation had indeed been anticipated sometime after the holidays, but it comes as Andrew's name has resurfaced in newly released US Justice Department documents related to the Epstein investigation. Andrew has consistently denied allegations of sexual assault and has said he never met accuser Virginia Giuffre, whose posthumous memoir intensified scrutiny last year. Giuffre died by suicide in April at age 41.

For now, the 65-year-old Andrew is in temporary housing on the Sandringham estate while a permanent residence there is renovated, according to the BBC, which notes that he will likely live on the estate's Marsh Farm in the end. The AP notes that his temp home will likely be the Wood Farm "cottage," a royal family favorite for private retreats. Royal sources previously told CNN that Charles would provide Andrew with a home on his private property and an income. Andrew is expected to make occasional trips back to Windsor during a transition period to pick up the rest of his stuff.

The Royal Lodge itself has been a flashpoint: Andrew secured a 75-year lease on the Crown Estate property for about $1 million, with only a nominal annual rent "if required," a deal that drew sharp criticism after Giuffre's memoir was released. The late Queen Elizabeth II had granted him the right to live there. His decision to stop using his royal titles did little to ease public anger, setting the stage for Charles' unusually forceful step—stripping his brother of his remaining royal roles and pushing him out of the Windsor residence.