Andrew on all fours above a redacted person in Epstein files. Credit: justice.gov/epstein
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has vacated Royal Lodge in Windsor, the 30-room home he has lived in for years in Windsor Great Park. A royal source has told the mainstream media that he was moved “under the cover of darkness” to avoid attention, following renewed scrutiny linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
Reuters reports Andrew has been relocated to a cottage on King Charles’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk. It is believed to be temporary accommodation because the property intended for him is not yet ready to occupy.
Why Andrew has left Royal Lodge
The move comes after a fresh wave of Epstein-related coverage. Newly released documents (including emails) indicate Andrew remained in contact with Epstein for a period after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.
Separately, ITV reports Thames Valley Police have said they are “assessing information” linked to an allegation that a woman was taken to Windsor in 2010 “for a sexual encounter” involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Royal Lodge and the “peppercorn lease” explained
Royal Lodge has been controversial because Andrew’s right to live there is tied to a long lease arrangement.
Andrew has lived at Royal Lodge since 2003 under a 75-year lease from the Crown Estate, with rent set at a symbolic “peppercorn” level – a legal term used to confirm a valid rent exists, even if it’s minimal or free.
He paid a reported £1 million premium for the lease and committed to a £7.5 million refurbishment spend.
Andrew has been a major talking point recently due to the combination of his royal privilege, property, and the continuing Epstein fallout.
The most recent set of Epstein files made public by the US Department of Justice includes images that depict Andrew kneeling on all fours over a female lying on the ground. He is seen stroking the unnamed, fully clothed woman’s stomach in two of the pictures. It’s unknown when and where the pictures were taken, and no background information is provided.
The next signals to watch are any further police updates and whether the Palace issues additional comments. The former prince has consistently denied all wrongdoing.
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