Stripped of his honours and titles, and forced out of his beloved Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is reportedly seething at two members of the Royal Family, whom he holds responsible for his current predicament.
A close associate of the former prince is said to have told royal expert Richard Eden that Andrew feels he has been gravely wronged: “He’s really insistent that he can and will clear his name,” the source said.
This follows Andrew being taken into police custody earlier this month for questioning on suspicion of misconduct in public office, before being released pending further investigation. He has consistently denied all allegations against him.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Richard reveals that despite King Charles continuing to support his brother financially, and offering him use of the five-bedroom Marsh Farm on his Sandringham estate in Norfolk, Andrew feels betrayed by the monarch.
“His view is that he has been unfairly – even brutally – treated, and the person he blames for this is the King,” Andrew’s friend says, claiming the former Duke of York frequently launches into foul-mouthed tirades against not only his brother, but also heir to the throne Prince William.
Consumed by what he perceives as a grave injustice, Andrew reportedly spends his days brooding over his family’s actions: “It’s as though he’s deliberately blocked out the outside world,” the friend adds. A significant source of Andrew’s frustration stems from being displaced from Royal Lodge.
His elder sister Princess Anne not only resides at Gatcombe Park, which encompasses over 200 acres of Gloucestershire countryside, but also maintains an apartment at St James’s Palace. Meanwhile, his brother Edward’s residence, Bagshot Park, is said to contain an astonishing 120 rooms.
In comparison, Royal Lodge is relatively modest, containing just 30 rooms, yet Andrew was reportedly deeply attached to the property.
He invited Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein to view it during his daughter Beatrice’s masked ball 18th birthday celebrations in 2006, despite the disgraced financier already being subject to a US arrest warrant at that time.
Andrew subsequently told BBC Newsnight that he had been unaware of convicted paedophile Epstein’s crimes: “Certainly I wasn’t aware when the invitation was issued what was going on in the United States, and I wasn’t aware until the media picked up on it because he never said anything about it.”
Whilst Andrew’s relocation to more modest accommodation has been anticipated for considerable time, he was initially expected to receive rather grander alternative lodgings before Marsh Farm was ultimately selected.
Widespread speculation suggested Andrew might relocate to Frogmore Cottage, the five-bedroom property previously inhabited by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, which had undergone an elegant renovation by former Soho House interior designer Vicky Charles. Later, speculation emerged that Adelaide Cottage, the former residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, could potentially be passed to Andrew.
However, the cottage situated on the edge of the Sandringham Estate has now been designated for him.