Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has vacated Royal Lodge in Windsor and moved to temporary accommodation on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. The relocation occurred on the evening of October 30, 2023, as Mountbatten-Windsor prepares for renovations that will transform the estate into his new permanent residence. It is anticipated that he will ultimately settle at Marsh Farm, which is also located on the Sandringham Estate.
This move follows an official announcement from Buckingham Palace in October that Mountbatten-Windsor would surrender his lease on Royal Lodge, coinciding with the removal of his princely title. The palace confirmed that “formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease.” Although he plans to return to Windsor soon to collect his remaining personal belongings, royal sources indicate that his primary residence will now be in Norfolk.
Mountbatten-Windsor was last seen in Windsor on Monday, riding horseback near his former residence. He was photographed later that evening driving away from the area while waving at passers-by.
Lease Controversy and Financial Implications
The decision to relocate has been surrounded by controversy regarding the lease of Royal Lodge. According to a report from the National Audit Office, Mountbatten-Windsor paid over £8 million upfront for repairs when he took on the property’s 75-year lease in 2003. This payment effectively offset future rent obligations, with a nominal annual rent set at £260,000.
Under the terms of the agreement, he could have been entitled to nearly £488,000 in compensation for surrendering the lease early. However, a subsequent report from the Crown Estate indicated that the property requires extensive repairs, significantly diminishing the likelihood of any compensation being awarded.
The Sandringham Estate, privately owned by the King, will be responsible for covering the costs associated with Mountbatten-Windsor’s new home. Sources close to the royal family previously indicated that the timing of the relocation was intentionally delayed until after the new year to avoid the awkwardness of Mountbatten-Windsor being present during the Christmas gathering of the Royal Family at Sandringham.
Ongoing Legal Scrutiny
Mountbatten-Windsor continues to face scrutiny regarding his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Thames Valley Police are currently assessing allegations related to a woman who was reportedly sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor at Royal Lodge in 2010. The woman, who was in her twenties at the time and is not a British citizen, alleges that after spending the night at Royal Lodge, she was given tea and a tour of Buckingham Palace.
This allegation marks the first time an Epstein survivor has claimed a sexual encounter occurred at a royal residence. In a separate case, Virginia Giuffre became the first woman to publicly accuse Mountbatten-Windsor of similar misconduct in 2014, asserting that she was trafficked by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell when she was only 17. Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied these claims.
In 2021, Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit in the United States, which was settled in February 2022 for an estimated £12 million. Giuffre passed away last year, but renewed attention to the case has followed the release of extensive documents by the US Department of Justice. These documents include images and emails that allegedly link Mountbatten-Windsor to Epstein during the years following Epstein’s guilty plea for soliciting a minor.
Epstein died in a New York prison cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. As investigations continue, the implications of Mountbatten-Windsor’s recent relocation and his past associations remain a subject of significant public interest.
