Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former home compared to a 'ghost town' as royals reluctant to take it on

Svar Nanan-Sen
Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:10:23 +0000

The sprawling Royal Lodge estate now stands deserted following Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's relocation to Norfolk.

The 66-year-old surrendered his 75-year lease on the Windsor property to the Crown Estate in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, though he only vacated the premises in February.

His new residence at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate has been financed by King Charles.

The expansive mansion, comprising 30 rooms alongside six cottages on the grounds, presents an eerie emptiness.

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One local observer told The Sun: "Royal Lodge was a hive of activity, even when Andrew was trying to lie low during the Epstein scandal, but now it's just a ghost town."

The property's future remains uncertain.

Under Andrew's previous peppercorn-rent arrangement, his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie had been positioned to inherit the residence.

Speculation that Queen Camilla might take possession of the lodge should she outlive King Charles has been comprehensively dismissed.

Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales have shown no appetite for acquiring the mansion, having already secured their own arrangement at the nearby Forest Lodge with a two-decade lease.

The once-bustling royal residence, valued at tens of millions, now awaits its next chapter with no clear successor in sight.

Earlier this month, Prince Edward travelled to the Sandringham Estate over the Easter weekend to check on his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, with sources characterising the trip as "a brotherly welfare check."

The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by his wife Sophie, made the journey to Wood Farm, where Andrew has been residing temporarily since early February.

This marked the first occasion any Royal Family member had visited Andrew since he retreated into what has been described as "exile" in Norfolk.

Sources indicate that behind closed doors, Edward continues to stand by his brother.

During the Easter visit, Edward and Sophie shared dinner with Andrew one evening, using the opportunity to talk through the situation at length.

"It's true to say they both feel sorry for Andrew and how far he has fallen and they are worried about his fragile state of mind," a source revealed. "They do feel for him, but of course that doesn't excuse his behaviour."

The source added: "It's a difficult balancing act supporting him while not condoning what he has got involved with."