The Gist
In October, King Charles stripped his younger brother, the former Prince Andrew, of all of his royal titles and privileges.
Nearly two months later, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—as he is now known—is reportedly “struggling” to accept that he’s no longer a prince.
He will spend Christmas away from the royal family’s traditional December 25 gathering at Sandringham, though he will be moving to the estate in 2026.
Though the man formerly known as Prince Andrew—and now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—was evicted from his home of over 20 years, Royal Lodge, in October by his older brother King Charles, he is spending one last Christmas there before relocating to the Sandringham estate in 2026.
Thought to in part be delaying the move to Norfolk so as to avoid the royal family’s annual Christmas gathering at Sandringham—where they spend the holiday every year—Andrew will be staying behind in Windsor, as he and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have not been invited to the royal family’s December 25 celebrations. The former Duke of York is “struggling” and, per a new report, “thinks he’s still a prince,” even though the King stripped him of all royal titles and privileges nearly two months ago.
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Prince Andrew and his older brother King Charles on September 16, 2025
At Royal Lodge, there is a “Grinch-like mood” this Christmas, The Daily Mail reported, with a source adding that “There is definitely an end-of-era feel.”
“There’s not much to celebrate at the moment,” the insider added.
Andrew and Ferguson’s daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have been invited to spend Christmas with the royals at Sandringham; they attended the King’s annual Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace on December 16 along with the rest of the royal family, too. While it’s still unclear exactly where the sisters will spend December 25, the two “are not expected to join their banished parents on Christmas Day,” the outlet reported. Beatrice and Eugenie’s “old bedrooms, which in the past had their own Yuletide trees, have been left bare.” The publication also reported that, perhaps not surprisingly, there was no staff Christmas party this year at Royal Lodge.
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Ex-Prince Andrew, King Charles, and Queen Camilla leading the annual Christmas walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in 2011
Despite the ample changes, Andrew reportedly “insists” on staff members calling him “Sir,” despite losing his titles in October.
“He is struggling to come to terms with his loss of status,” the source said. “Some don’t realize he still thinks he’s a prince.”
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Ex-Prince Andrew on September 16, 2025
Though a Christmas tree and “a light touch of sparkle” have been added downstairs at Royal Lodge, there was no York family Christmas card this year; Ferguson, The Daily Mail reported, “has been signing her cards alone.” Though the two divorced in 1996, Ferguson has lived at Royal Lodge with Andrew since 2008, but is expected to live apart from him once they vacate the property in the coming months. Her Christmas cards sent to members of the royal family “have been accompanied by a gushing personalized apology,” The Daily Mail reported, including the line, “I hope we’ll meet again.”
Though the mood is no doubt more subdued at Royal Lodge than it has been for Christmases past, a source told The Daily Mail that “There is to be some sort of party for their last remaining friends over Christmas. I’m not sure they’ve labeled it a ‘farewell’ party, but it very much looks like a last hurrah.”
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Sarah Ferguson and Ex-Prince Andrew on March 31, 2024
Christmas Day itself is set to be “a quiet affair,” whether just Andrew or he and Ferguson will sit down together for Christmas lunch. “Andrew, who despite everything that has befallen him still reveres the Crown, is likely to sit down in front of the TV at 3 p.m. to watch the King’s speech,” according to The Daily Mail.
Read the original article on InStyle