Ex-Prince Andrew Has Become "Fixated on How He Will Be Remembered" and Is "Having Difficulty Acknowledging Reality" After Leaving Royal Lodge

"He envisaged a televised funeral to a grieving nation, but his plans have been put in the shredder."

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor wearing a navy suit walking in front of a bush
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has officially moved out of Royal Lodge in Windsor, after being evicted by his brother, King Charles. However, according to a royal biographer, the former prince isn't necessarily handling his demotion very well, and he's also concerned about his royal legacy.

As reported by the Daily Mail, King Charles and Prince William reportedly made "the ultimate decision to extract" the former Duke of York from Royal Lodge following the release of additional Jeffrey Epstein revelations. Per the outlet, "The final straw...was the sight of the [recalcitrant] former prince trotting around the Windsor estate, literally on his high horse—regally waving his hand at the public as if nothing had changed."

A source told the publication, "Waving at the public harked back to his royal days when he was used to adulation and respect." They continued, "Andrew is having difficulty acknowledging reality and it was increasingly causing concern at the palace—both as a sign of his mental state and because it wouldn't play well with the public witnessing him still enjoying the trappings of royalty."

Ex-prince Andrew riding a horse alongside a woman

"Andrew is having difficulty acknowledging reality."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Royal biographer Andrew Lownie told the publication, "He's such a narcissist that he still doesn't feel the need to apologize." Lownie—who recently released Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York—continued, "I don't think he's ever going to accept he's wrong because he suffers from an absolute lack of self-awareness. I think he still feels he's invincible. He sees himself as an innocent man, traduced."

Prince Andrew standing against a stone wall in a suit and tie

"He sees himself as an innocent man, traduced."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The outlet further reported that, per a source, Andrew "is now more fixated on how he will be remembered when it's time to shuffle off this mortal coil." Importantly, the former Duke of York is allegedly worried that he won't receive a traditional royal funeral when he dies.

"He envisaged a grand affair in St. George's Chapel in Windsor, televised to a grieving nation, but his plans have been put in the shredder," one source explained.

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.