Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, has been forced out of his home at Royal Lodge in Windsor and will have to make do with a place on the royal family’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk – paid for by his brother.
The move is expected to take place “as soon as practicable” after his public life as a royal was effectively ended by King Charles. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will also move out of Royal Lodge and will sort her own living arrangements.
Sandringham was bought in 1862 by the then Prince of Wales, who later became Edward VII, as a private country retreat, and the house was rebuilt in 1870 to ensure it was big enough for his growing family.
Its vast surrounding estate includes 6,475 hectares (16,000 acres) of farmland, 1,416 hectares (3,500 acres) of woodland and 150 properties.
Here are some of the possible properties on the Sandringham estate where Andrew could live.
York Cottage
The home of Prince George before he became King George V. He lived in it with his wife, Princess May of Teck, who later became Queen Mary. It has been described as a relatively low-key residence. The couple decorated it with new furniture in the style of a middle-class couple.
The monarch-in-waiting spent much of his time there collecting stamps, though he did not extend the relatively modest aesthetic to his compilation. He spent a world-record £1,450 – about £150,000 today – on an exceptionally rare 1847 stamp from Mauritius, writing a letter from the cottage asking for confirmation the purchase had gone through.
The Times later reported on the sale, and one of George’s aides was said to have commented that some “damn fool” had paid a huge sum. “I was that damn fool,” George replied.
Previously used as the estate office for Sandringham, as holiday accommodation and as accommodation for estate employees, it was reportedly earmarked for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex before their departure from royal life.
Gardens House
The former home of the head gardener, it sleeps up to eight people and is decorated with pieces from the royal collection. It comes with an Aga, dining and reception rooms and a lounge, and is close to the Sandringham cafe and coffee shop. That’s according to its listing on Airbnb, when it was offered for rent in 2022.
If Andrew were to move there, the “light and airy red brick Edwardian property” would need to be taken off the holiday let market, where it still appears at about £2,000 for a minimum three-night stay.
On Sandringham’s website, it says: “In the peaceful stillness of the estate woodland sits the charming Gardens House, once home to the estate’s head gardener.
“This light and airy red brick Edwardian property accommodates up to eight guests, with each room thoughtfully furnished with a blend of rustic pieces, modern comforts and botanical prints.”
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The Folly
The Folly is another holiday let, available for up to six people at a slightly more modest £1,800 for a minimum three-night stay. It has undergone a year-long restoration and is advertised as an “elegantly weathered structure built in the 1800s” that is “nestled deep within the leafy estate woodland”.
The Folly is said to offer “understated luxury” and an “opportunity to experience the serene splendour of the wider Sandringham estate”. Whether that opportunity will be offered to Andrew, the palace has not said.
“Original features like stone hearths, arched entryways and hand-finished floors have been carefully preserved. Additionally, objects from the Royal Collection enhance the ambience and authenticity of the space,” the Sandringham website adds.
Park House
Park House is the birthplace and childhood home of Diana, Princess of Wales, who was born there on 1 July 1961.
The late princess continued to live there until the death of her grandfather, the seventh Earl Spencer, in 1975 when the family moved to the Spencer family seat at Althorp House in Northamptonshire.
Park House was converted into a country house hotel for 26 physically disabled people by the Leonard Cheshire charity in 1987. There were plans to renovate it in 2019, but the pandemic caused difficulties. It is reportedly now unoccupied.
Wood Farm
Wood Farm is a farmhouse that was used by Prince Philip after his retirement in August 2017. Queen Elizabeth II visited him there regularly until Covid pandemic rules required Philip to move to Windsor Castle to shield with the queen.
It has a history as a place to hide relatives with whom the royal family would rather not be publicly associated. In 1916, the son of George V was sent to Wood farm after he had an epileptic seizure. Prince John was consigned with a nanny and two robust male attendants to hold him down, having previously been excluded from the family’s public photographs and his father’s coronation. He died in his sleep two years later.
According to the BBC, the palace has said this will not become Andrew’s home.
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