Andrew leaves Royal Lodge for Sandringham move
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has now left Royal Lodge in Windsor. Broadcasters reported he departed late on Monday 2 February 2026 and is staying at a house on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk while a longer-term home is readied. Thames Valley Police, meanwhile, are assessing a new allegation said to relate to events at Royal Lodge in 2010; he denies wrongdoing. (itv.com)
Where he’s going next matters for who pays. Several outlets say the interim stop is likely Wood Farm, with Marsh Farm on Sandringham expected to become his permanent base once renovations finish. Photographs from the Press Association show active works and new security at Marsh Farm; palace sources have not confirmed a final hand‑over date. The King will cover the costs because Sandringham is his private estate. (hellomagazine.com)
Quick ownership 101. Royal Lodge sits in Windsor Great Park and is part of the Crown Estate, a public body that returns its net profits to HM Treasury and helps calculate the Sovereign Grant. Sandringham is different: it is the monarch’s private property, separate from the Crown Estate, so upkeep there is privately funded. (thecrownestate.co.uk)
How Royal Lodge was held. In 2003, Andrew took a 75‑year lease from the Crown Estate, paying a £1m premium and committing to around £7.5m of refurbishment. The lease set a symbolic “peppercorn” rent and referenced a notional market rent of about £260,000 a year in the NAO’s description of the deal at the time. (theguardian.com)
Why the lease is ending now. On 30 October 2025 Buckingham Palace said the King had initiated the formal process to remove Andrew’s titles and served notice to surrender the Royal Lodge lease; the former prince would move to alternative private accommodation. Notice was given for 12 months, with any exit on or after 30 October 2026. (royal.uk)
Will he get money back for leaving early? The Crown Estate told MPs that, after an inspection, the property requires such extensive repairs that “in all likelihood” no compensation will be due on early surrender; a figure of £488,342.21 would only have applied if no dilapidations were found. An MPs’ inquiry into royal leases is now planned. (feeds.bbci.co.uk)
Teacher’s note: surrender and ‘dilapidations’. Ending a long lease early is usually done by agreement (a deed of surrender). The landlord can set out repairs and losses at the end of the term; these are known as dilapidations and are assessed by surveyors, with protocols for negotiation. That is why an inspection outcome can affect any compensation. (gov.uk)
Why Sandringham, and why now? Apart from being privately owned by the King, a Norfolk base removes Royal Lodge from the political debate over public assets. It also follows a winter of renewed scrutiny from US releases of Epstein case material and fresh UK reporting around Andrew’s conduct; police stress they are assessing information, not announcing charges. (itv.com)
What pressure exists from the US? After the latest document releases, US lawmakers and campaigners renewed calls for Andrew to give evidence. The UK Prime Minister has said anyone with relevant information should be prepared to share it, while legal experts note Congress cannot compel a foreign citizen to appear. (theguardian.com)
If you’re teaching this, here’s the takeaway. When you see ‘Crown Estate’, think public asset managed at arm’s length and profits routed to the Treasury; when you see ‘Sandringham’, think private ownership by the King. Lease surrenders turn on what the contract says and what condition the property is in at exit-hence the focus on surveys and repairs. (thecrownestate.co.uk)