Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has reportedly been given a stern ultimatum by his elder brother King Charles as he adjusts to his reduced life at Sandringham, with his former staff at Royal Lodge working around the clock to clear away any trace of him
For years, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lived in the lap of luxury at the 30-bedroom Royal Lodge, with servants attending to his every eccentric whim.
Now these same servants have been tasked with scouring the Windsor mansion of every trace of the disgraced former prince, clearing out any lingering possessions, and even burning their own belongings. This fervent spring clean was reportedly demanded by Andrew’s elder brother, King Charles III, who has made his position on his troublesome middle sibling’s living arrangements crystal clear.
Last month, Charles, 77, brought forward a deadline for Andrew, 66, to leave the Windsor estate behind after he was repeatedly named in the latest tranche of files relating to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who died behind bars in 2019. Andrew has vehemently and consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with sex offender Epstein, with whom he was friends for a number of years.
Swept away from the grandeur of Royal Lodge in the middle of the night, Andrew now temporarily resides at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate, where he awaits the completion of renovations at the boggy and secluded Marsh Farm, which will serve as his more permanent residence.
While a charming home in the eyes of most, there’s no doubt that this is a significant downgrade for the favourite son of a monarch, born to expect rather than sinply strive to a life of opulence. And to add insult to injury, Andrew has reportedly been ordered to ensure Royal Lodge is completely cleared out by the weekend, in yet another ultimatum by Charles.
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In the past few days, it’s understood that Royal aides have been working against the clock to strip the sprawling grace-and-favour home of its remaining possessions, from the grand reception rooms to the staff quarters. Various skips have been loaded and removed from the historic estate, with removal vans spotted coming and going.
One source previously told the Mirror:“Andrew was told everything had to be out and absolutely nothing was to be left behind. He hasn’t been back to collect anything, leaving staff to Everything has to be out by the weekend, and we’ve been told no trace of the former occupants or staff should remain.”
Staff have even been setting fire to their own unwanted belongings, as the memories of the York family’s time at Royal Lodge quite literally go up in smoke. On Tuesday, March 24, a man, understood to have once served as Andrew’s valet, was seen burning household items, including furniture, on the sweeping grounds.
Once a bustling royal household, the Royal Lodge estate is now a desolate place, with guards notably absent from the usually staffed gatehouse. Aerial photos show a filled skip, close to the rear of the residence, with another yellow-coloured skip visible at the front of the estate, just behind the front gates.
Back in December, it emerged that Andrew would likely not be getting any compensation after vacating Royal Lodge under a cloud of shame. BBC News reported at the time that, under his leasing arrangement, Andrew could have been entitled to £488,000 if he chose to surrender his 75-year lease within 25 years, but this clause all depended on the property being well-maintained. However, a report from the Crown Estate for MPs determined that the condition of Royal Lodge is “not out of keeping with a tenancy of this duration”, with the cost of repairing “dilapidations” meaning any return of advance payments would be unlikely.
Andrew took on the lengthy lease of Royal Lodge in 2003, paying more than £8.5 million up-front to cover the costs of renovation, as well as to avoid any rent requirements, based on a notional annual rent of £260,000. As part of this arrangement, Andrew had to pay a token “peppercorn” payment, standard practice for long leases as per the Crown Estate, on occasions when an advance payment is given.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.mirror.co.uk ’
