Prince Andrew Relocates to Sandringham After New Epstein Files Prompt Accelerated Eviction
Updated (3 articles)
Relocation Executed Early This Week Andrew left the 30‑room Royal Lodge in Windsor on Monday night and was driven to Wood Farm Cottage on the Sandringham estate, where he will stay while a permanent home is renovated; the King will cover renovation costs and a later move to Marsh Farm is planned [1][2][3]. The move occurred ahead of the early‑2026 schedule announced by the palace, with reports noting a discreet, night‑time transfer [2]. Sandringham is privately owned by King Charles, contrasting with the Crown Estate‑managed Royal Lodge [1].
Title Removal and October Eviction Order King Charles III stripped Andrew of his royal titles in October 2023 and ordered him to vacate Royal Lodge following renewed pressure from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation [2][3]. Andrew’s lease, signed in 2003, runs 75 years to 2078, required a £1 million upfront payment and a nominal pepper‑corn rent, and sparked public outrage after Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir accused him of sexual assault [2][3]. The lease’s financial terms, including a notional £260 000 annual rent and potential early‑surrender payout, have been scrutinized by the National Audit Office [3].
New US Justice Department Documents Reveal Additional Epstein Encounters Recently released DOJ files contain three undated photos of Andrew kneeling over a clothed woman and an August 2010 email in which Epstein invited him to meet a 26‑year‑old Russian woman described as “clevere … beautiful, trustworthy” [2]. An email from March 23 2011 disclosed an exotic dancer’s lawyer alleging a 2006 Florida threesome at Epstein’s home and a proposed confidential $250 000 settlement [1]. Additional documents show Andrew received a temporary security code to enter Epstein’s New York residence in December 2010 [3].
Police and International Officials Press for Cooperation Thames Valley Police are assessing a 2010 report that a woman was taken to Royal Lodge for sexual purposes and are investigating the allegation alongside the new documents [2][3]. The U.S. House Oversight Committee has asked Andrew to testify in Washington, while UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged anyone with information to come forward [2][3]. U.S. Vice President JD Vance expressed openness to his testimony, and Prince Edward emphasized the importance of remembering the victims [2].
Discrepancies Among Reports Highlight Varying Emphases AP uniquely details the 2006 Florida threesome and settlement offer, which CNN and BBC omit. CNN focuses on the Russian woman email and describes the transfer as “under cover of darkness,” whereas BBC names the temporary residence simply as “Wood Farm” and notes a security‑code email for Epstein’s New York home. All three sources agree on the relocation, title removal, and renewed scrutiny from U.S. and UK officials.
Sources
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1.
AP: Former Prince Andrew Relocates to King’s Sandringham Estate: Highlights early move to Wood Farm Cottage, lease contrast, 2006 Florida threesome email, and lease‑to‑2078 details .
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2.
CNN: Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor Relocates from Windsor to Sandringham Amid New Epstein Documents: Emphasizes night‑time transfer, October eviction order, Russian woman email, and pressure from U.S. and UK officials .
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3.
BBC: Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor moves to Sandringham amid fresh Epstein revelations: Stresses Wood Farm stay, National Audit Office lease figures, 2010 sexual‑encounter claim, security‑code email, and calls for congressional testimony .
Timeline
2003 – The Crown Estate signs a 75‑year lease for Royal Lodge, requiring more than £8 million in payments, a nominal £260,000 annual rent and a potential £488,000 early‑surrender payout, later scrutinised by the National Audit Office [1].
2006 – An alleged threesome occurs at Jeffrey Epstein’s Florida home; an exotic dancer’s lawyer later emails on 23 Mar 2011 that the dancer receives $2,000 instead of the promised $10,000 and a confidential $250,000 settlement is proposed [3].
Aug 2010 – Epstein emails Andrew a invitation to meet a “friend,” a 26‑year‑old Russian woman described as “clevere … beautiful, trustworthy,” evidencing a direct link between Andrew and Epstein’s recruitment network [2].
Dec 2010 – Andrew receives a temporary security code granting him access to Epstein’s New York residence, a detail later revealed in DOJ documents [1].
2010 (unspecified) – A woman flown to the UK by Epstein claims she spends the night with Andrew at Royal Lodge, is served tea and given a Buckingham Palace tour, marking the first survivor allegation of a royal‑residence encounter [1].
Oct 2025 – King Charles III strips Andrew of his royal titles and orders him to vacate Royal Lodge, an extraordinary step taken to quell renewed pressure from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, which accuses him of believing “having sex with me was his birthright” [2].
Feb 3 2026 – Andrew departs Royal Lodge under cover of darkness and relocates to Wood Farm Cottage on the Sandringham estate, where he stays temporarily while a permanent residence is renovated; the King agrees to cover his accommodation costs [1][2][3].
Feb 2026 – The US Department of Justice releases new files showing three undated photos of Andrew kneeling over a clothed woman and the email granting him a security code, prompting an accelerated exit from Royal Lodge and intensifying calls for his congressional testimony [1][2].
Feb 2026 – Thames Valley Police confirm they are assessing a 2010 report of a woman taken to a Windsor address for sexual purposes, evaluating whether it relates to the newly released DOJ documents [2][3].
Feb 2026 – The National Audit Office’s analysis of the Royal Lodge lease fuels public outrage over the favourable terms and reinforces parliamentary pressure for Andrew’s removal [1].
Feb 2026 – The US House Oversight Committee asks Andrew to testify in Washington; Prime Minister Keir Starmer urges anyone with information to come forward; US Vice President JD Vance says he is “certainly open to” his testimony; Prince Edward tells CNN at a Dubai summit, “it’s all really important always to remember the victims”; and Epstein survivor Lisa Phillips says his testimony would be “everything” [2][1].
Feb 2026 (later) – Andrew is slated to move from Wood Farm to Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate once renovations are complete, continuing his residence on the king’s private property rather than Crown‑Estate land [1].