Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has moved out of his long-time Windsor residence following renewed scrutiny of his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a royal source confirmed on Wednesday.
The 65-year-old, formerly known as the Duke of York, has relocated from Royal Lodge to a smaller cottage on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. According to reports, the move took place late on Monday night, with Andrew leaving Windsor discreetly.
A palace source said Andrew is now residing at Sandringham, though he may return briefly to Windsor in the coming weeks while the transition is finalised. British tabloid The Sun reported that Andrew had hoped to remain at Royal Lodge for longer but was instructed to leave following the latest disclosures.
A friend quoted by the newspaper said the departure was deeply humiliating and deliberately carried out under cover of darkness to avoid attention.
Fresh Epstein Files Intensify Pressure
The relocation follows the release of new documents by the US Justice Department last week, which included emails suggesting Andrew remained in regular contact with Epstein for more than two years after the financier’s conviction for child sex offences.
These revelations have intensified pressure on the royal family to further distance itself from Andrew, whose public role has already been severely curtailed.
King Charles Distances the Monarchy
King Charles removed Andrew’s remaining royal titles in October and made clear that he would no longer represent the monarchy in any capacity. The king has repeatedly stated that his sympathies lie with the victims of sexual abuse.
Buckingham Palace has sought to limit further reputational damage to the monarchy by reducing Andrew’s visibility and residence within key royal properties.
Andrew Continues to Deny Wrongdoing
Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein. He has also previously rejected claims that he maintained contact with Epstein after the latter’s 2008 conviction, apart from a 2010 visit to New York which he said was intended to formally end the relationship.
Despite these denials, the latest disclosures have renewed public and institutional scrutiny, further isolating Andrew from royal life.
with inputs from Reuters
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source stratnewsglobal.com ’
