Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s final days at Royal Lodge have been blasted as “appalling optics” as King Charles’s disgraced brother attempted to continue his daily routines despite mounting pressure from his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
The former Duke of York was pictured horse riding in Windsor on Monday and did not avoid photographs during the outing.
That evening, Andrew departed Royal Lodge in the night and was moved to a residence at King Charles’s Sandringham estate.
A royal insider told the Mail, regarding Andrew: “Even to the end, he just didn't get it.”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s final days at Royal Lodge have been blasted as “appalling optics” as King Charles’s disgraced brother attempted to continue his daily routines despite mounting pressure from his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
|REUTERS
His refusal to lie low during his last few weeks was described as “block-headed”.
A source added regarding Andrew being pictured waving at passersby: “You just want to whack your head on the desk.”
Whilst another hit out at the “appalling optics” of his last few days at Royal Lodge.
Another insider said regarding Andrew: “He was encouraged to think that it would be a good time to move on.”
The former Duke of York was pictured horse riding in Windsor on Monday and did not avoid photographs during the outing.
|REUTERS
The former Duke of York has moved to the Sandringham estate after living in Windsor since 2003.
It has not been confirmed which property he has moved into, although it is widely reported to be Marsh Farm.
The move has been planned since October 2025, although it was not expected to happen quite this soon.
These developments follow a fresh tranche of documents, emails, and photographs from the US Department of Justice being made public last Friday.
A removal van pictured at Royal Lodge on Wednesday.
|GETTY
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has publicly urged Andrew to cooperate with US investigators and potentially testify before the US Congress about his past dealings with Epstein and related activities.
Reports in some US media suggest US lawmakers are open to formally calling him to testify, with bipartisan interest in securing further information from him.
Andrew's brother Prince Edward called for the focus to be on Epstein's victims when asked about the files on Tuesday.
Andrew has always denied the allegations against him and appearing in the Epstein files is not evidence of any wrongdoing, and inclusion in the documents does not implicate anyone in Epstein's criminality.