The disgraced Duke left the confines of Marsh Farm, his home in Norfolk, this week in order to indulge in one of his favourite pastimes – but his joy will be short lived
Life has been very bleak for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as of late. Stripped of his titles and exiled from the royal life, he remains holed up in Norfolk as he tries to come to terms with his spectacular fall from grace.
There was a bright moment for Andrew this week, however. The 66-year-old was spotted back in the saddle for the first time since he was ‘banned’ from horse riding in public for six months.
Andrew was photographed riding across the Sandringham estate near his home, dressed in a blue shirt, on an outing that lasted approximately an hour. It will have been a highlight for the disgraced ex duke – but his joy will be short-lived.
The horses he has been riding have reportedly been dispatched from Windsor by the King to give his brother something to do. Sadly for Andrew, they are only there on a short loan.
A source told the Sun: “He’s bored rigid so even getting his horse for a few days is better than sitting around doing nothing. He was regularly riding when he lived in Windsor because it gave him a chance to get outside.”
Andrew was reportedly banned from riding around the Windsor estate by royal aides after photos of the former prince trotting around on horseback amid the Jeffrey Epstein scandal left King Charles furious. Andrew, who has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing, would also be spotted waving to members of the public.
Now living in the shadows in Norfolk, Andrew has only been pictured on a handful of occasions. He is said to spend much of his time lounging around Marsh Farm and watching television.
He is also said to have lost himself in the world of video games, with royal authour Andrew Lownie saying the former prince has now “lost any sort of purpose in life”.
“He’s absolutely fascinated by simulations of planes landing – going back to his pilot training,” Lownie claims, adding that the former Duke of York also whiles away time playing first-person combat game Call of Duty.
Unsurprisingly, Andrew’s diary is looking decidedly bare. He did venture away from home in June when he was seen at the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials, which was being attended by his younger brother Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
He reportedly watched on as Sophie took part in the SanDrivingHam Challenge, taking in the action in a secluded area away from the main arena.
There is a chance Andrew will be back in the royal orbit next month – albeit on the fringes. As Editor in Chief of Majesty magazine Ingrid Seward pointed out to the Mirror, Andrew has always spent time at Balmoral during the month of August in the past, joining the royal family for their annual summer break.
Indeed he travelled to the Scottish estate last summer, arriving on his own, and staying at a lodge in the grounds. Charles is said to have kept his distance.
It remains to be seen whether he will be welcome this time around. But he will be keen for his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, to travel up to spend time with the major royals.
Charles is known to be fond of his nieces, and Andrew is determined for their connection to the royal family to continue, and for them to retain their titles.
One such example was Beatrice and Eugenie’s surprising appearance at the wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling. Rather than a discreet arrival, they chose to walk down the road like other guests, accompanied by their husbands.
And the mastermind behind their ‘gesture of defiance’ is said to be their disgraced father Andrew. According to the Daily Mail, the sisters were in two minds about whether to attend the nuptials, but then Andrew emailed them, urging them to not only go, but to ‘hold their heads high’.
It remains to be seen whether his masterplan comes to fruition. The King, while fond of the Princesses, is also said to be crisis-adverse and keen to avoid confrontation.
Perhaps tellingly, he avoided spending time with the sisters at the wedding. Both Charles and Queen Camilla were already seated inside the church by the time Beatrice and Eugenie arrived, avoiding any public conversations. And as soon as the service was over, the King and Queen were whisked away by helicopter to attend the Epsom Derby in their capacity as joint patrons of The Jockey Club. The source told the publication: “Beatrice and Eugenie’s hopes to lobby the King were dashed by this rapid exit.”
Should Andrew’s invitation to Balmoral be rescinded, it will be yet another stark reminder of all that he has lost. Just last month, the royal family were out in force for the annual Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle. The former Duke of York had been a member of the order and had previously joined in the procession and festivities. But this year, he was excluded from the event in its entirety.
One might think the stark reality of his situation has humbled Andrew. Not so, according to royal sources. Andrew is said to have insisted that he will “damn well” continue to be called by his “correct titles” in his home – until they “send a vampire to suck out every drop of royal blood from my veins”, via the Daily Mail.
Andrew has lost the majority of his staff after being booted out of Royal Lodge – and was said to have been insulted when the King offered him use of a Sandringham cleaner, groundsman and cook on an ad hoc basis – with a source saying at the time, it “hasn’t gone down well”.
The furore surrounding Andrew has seen friends and former acquaintances turn their back on him, and has also fractured his relationship with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson – perhaps irreparably.
It was reported earlier this year that while the exes – who described themselves as ‘the happiest divorced couple in the world’ – are technically still on speaking terms but they are “not talking that much”.
Sarah, 66, hasn’t been seen in public for months now, with previous reports placing her at locations varying from Ireland to Dubai and the States. A friend described the ex-duchess as being on a ‘secret sofa-surfing world tour’ which has seen her moving from the home of one loyally discreet friend to another. She is also said to be in possession of three ‘burner phones’ as she continues to hide out.
Her ability to remain in hiding for so long is said to be thanks to the kindness of loyal, wealthy friends, upon whom she is now wholly reliant. According to the source, there are a number of people – including some well-known names – that are still quietly faithful to Fergie and wealthy enough to house her.
She, too, will be finding it hard to have lost all the lavish trappings of royal life. According to reports last year, she had set her sights on moving into William and Kate’s old home, Adelaide Cottage, as her time at Royal Lodge was coming to an end. Instead, she was left with nothing.
