Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, left Royal Lodge late at night and relocated to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk this week, a move reported by the BBC that came as newly released Jeffrey Epstein-related documents reignited public scrutiny of his past associations.
According to the BBC, Andrew traveled from the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park to Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate, a residence previously used by Prince Philip. The timing of the move, shortly after additional Epstein files circulated widely online, sharpened perceptions that the relocation was driven less by logistics than by mounting reputational pressure.
The latest document release includes correspondence attributed to Andrew dating to December 2010, after Epstein had already been convicted of sex offenses in the United States. In one email that has circulated publicly, Andrew appears to write to Epstein: "God it's cold and dank here! Wish I was still a pet in your family!" The message has drawn renewed criticism because of its tone and timing, though Andrew has consistently denied any criminal wrongdoing.
The disclosures have also pulled Andrew's former wife, Sarah Ferguson, back into the public conversation. Reporting cited by The Independent describes a July 2010 email in which Ferguson told Epstein she was being "hung out to dry" and complained that "no woman has ever left the royal family with her head." The BBC has noted that the emails do not imply criminal conduct, but they have added to questions about judgment and proximity.
Andrew's occupancy of Royal Lodge has long been a sensitive issue for the royal family. In October, Buckingham Palace confirmed that a "formal process" had begun to remove his lease on the property. A National Audit Office report previously highlighted the unusual financial structure of the lease, under which Andrew funded more than £8 million in repairs in exchange for a long-term tenancy, a detail that has fueled public resentment.
People magazine reported that King Charles had pressed his brother to vacate the residence following the removal of Andrew's remaining royal titles. While palace officials have avoided public comment on the precise reasons for the timing, multiple outlets have framed the overnight move as part of a broader effort to distance the monarchy from the ongoing Epstein fallout.
The Duke of York's situation underscores a persistent contradiction. The palace has emphasized that Andrew is a private citizen, yet his housing arrangements, security considerations and continued association with royal property have kept him tethered to the institution in the public eye.
Andrew settled a civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre in 2022 without admitting liability, but the reputational damage has proven enduring. Each new release of Epstein-related material has revived scrutiny, regardless of whether the documents contain new allegations.
