How Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor left Royal Lodge under cover of darkness and in the utmost secrecy

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has left Royal Lodge and his much discussed move came under cover of darkness.

The former prince quit the thirty room royal residence on the Windsor estate on the night of February 2 2026, departing after sunset for a temporary base in Norfolk.

The King’s brother surrendered the lease on Royal Lodge when he was stripped of his royal titles. King Charles removed Andrew’s HRH and Prince in November, issuing Letters Patent to that effect. The King also wrote to the Lord Chancellor and asked him to remove the titles of Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh from the Roll of Peerage. Since then, the third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip has been known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

In recent weeks, work has been going on at property on the Sandringham estate where Andrew will live in a property that belongs to King Charles – the Monarch owns the Sandringham estate. Windsor is part of the Crown Estate.

However, it is understood that the move was to a temporary base at Sandringham. According to The Sun, the timing reflected growing concern at the highest levels of the monarchy that the steady drip of revelations was becoming untenable. While Buckingham Palace has declined to comment, it is understood that the King had made clear that Andrew’s continued presence at Royal Lodge was no longer compatible with efforts to protect the reputation of the Crown.

It came as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor faced fresh pressure over his friendship with convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew was named several times in documents related to Epstein that were released at the weekend. Among the new material were images of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling over a woman who is lying on the floor.

There is also fresh pressure on his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, whose own friendship with Epstein was again in the spotlight. Documents relating to her included an email in which Epstein mentioned her visiting him just days after his release from prison – he was jailed for sex offences.

Sarah Ferguson had shared Royal Lodge with Andrew for over twenty years. However, it is understood that she will move to a separate property.