Ex-Prince Andrew Will Live in "Cushioned Isolation" on Sandringham Estate: "It's Not Alcatraz"
The former Duke of York was spotted for the first time in public on November 17.
After being stripped of his titles and evicted from his home, Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor will soon be moving to King Charles's private Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England. The former prince might be exiled from public life, but he'll hardly be roughing it, as "Crown and Controversy" podcast creator and producer John McDermott told GB News.
"I think some people picture him living in a cave somewhere," McDermott said. "The reality is more nuanced. His public life is gone, his world has shrunk dramatically, but he’ll still be living on an estate and has access to comfort."
For Andrew, it's an existence he's already familiar with. After he was forced to step down as a senior working royal following his disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview, he's lived a quiet life playing video games and riding on the Windsor estate. Other than events like family funerals, the King's coronation and major holidays, the former Duke of York is rarely seen in public.
The former Prince Andrew will be moving to the Sandringham estate in the near future.
The arrangement reflects a sort of royal limbo—one that shields King Charles and the rest of the family from further embarrassment, but avoids the cruelty of the monarch completely banishing his brother.
"It’s not Alcatraz," McDermott added. "It’s a very specific kind of isolation—private, restricted, but still cushioned."
The former Duke of York was pictured riding on the grounds of Windsor Castle on Monday, November 17 in photos obtained by the Daily Mail—Andrew's first appearance since his titles were stripped in October. Although it hasn't been announced where Andrew will be living in Sandringham, his horseback outing was an indicator that he hasn't yet departed for Norfolk, nearly three hours away from Windsor.
There are roughly 150 homes on the private Sandringham estate, including the main building, Sandringham House.
On October 30, Buckingham Palace released a statement announcing that King Charles had "initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew."
Despite the former prince continuously denying the sexual assault allegations against him, the palace announced that removing his titles and evicting him from Royal Lodge was "deemed necessary."
"Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse," the statement concluded.
