With the former Prince Andrew set to leave Royal Lodge after the King’s sensational decision to finally strip him of his titles and home, attention now turns to where he will live.
Buckingham Palace said last night the former Duke of York, who will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, will be moved to a property on the monarch’s private Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
But even though the estate is set in around 20,000 acres, there are not as many publicly known options for Andrew’s new home as might be expected.
Wood Farm, the five-bed property which Prince Philip enjoyed in his retirement, is understood to have been ruled out as an option.
Princess Diana’s childhood home, the rambling Park House, has been empty for more than five years but is unlikely to be considered suitable because it spent decades as a respite centre for the disabled and is in need of renovation.
Crucially, Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson is set to make her ‘own arrangements’ when it comes to her future, a royal source said.
Andrew will be hoping that whatever property he ends up in is big enough to accommodate his beloved daughters and their husbands and children should they want to stay.
From now on, the former Duke of York (pictured with the late Queen) will simply be known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – losing even his birth title of prince
York Cottage
One option could be York Cottage, which was once the cherished private home of King George V.
Now serving as a staff office, it was where the shamed Edward VIII – George’s eldest son – spent much of his childhood.
George V’s five youngest children – Princess Mary, Prince Henry, Prince George and Prince John – were all born there.
The monarch liked its small rooms because they reminded the former sailor of his ship’s quarters.
However, others did not view the home’s twisting corridors and small spaces with as much love. Queen Mary thought it was ugly and did not enjoy living there.
Queen Victoria meanwhile labelled it ‘unlucky and sad’.
Another visitor described it as ‘a glum little villa surrounded by thickets of laurel and rhododendron [with] a pond, at the edge of which a leaden pelican gazes in dejection on the water beneath.
‘The rooms inside, with their fumed oak surrounds . . . are indistinguishable from those of any Surbiton home.’
One option could be York Cottage, which was once the cherished private home of King George V
Inside the drawing room at York Cottage at Sandringham pictured in October 1897, after it had been given by Edward VII – then the Prince of Wales – to his son as a wedding gift
When it was given to George by his father Edward VII, the home was called the Bachelor’s Cottage. It had been designed by a Colonel Edis, an old friend of Edward VII.
However, according to biographer James Pope-Hennessy: ‘The main drawback was that he was not an architect at all.’
To accommodate George V and his growing family, York Cottage had to be extended twice, making its appearance – according to Pope-Hennessy – ‘even odder’.
Despite this, there was still a lack of privacy that was made worse by the fact that a large body of staff – equerries, ladies-in-waiting, private secretaries, maids and cooks – also had to be accommodated.
The King’s private secretary had to use his tiny bedroom as an office, whilst Christmases became ‘a feast of acrimony’, according to Edward VIII.
‘An atmosphere of restriction, killjoy pompousness, mystery, artificiality, and the most complete and utter boredom. And that doesn’t even begin to describe how ghastly it is,’ he added.
In 1925, George and Queen Mary moved to the main house at Sandringham after the death of his mother Queen Alexandra.
York Cottage is seen in 1895. When it was given to George, the home was called the Bachelor’s Cottage. It had been designed by a Colonel Edis, an old friend of Edward VII
Pictured: The rear view of York Cottage at Sandringham in Norfolk, complete with conservatory. The home was hated by many, but George V loved it
The Gardens House
Another option would be the four-bed Gardens House. For years the home of Sandringham’s head gardener, it was marketed as a holiday let earlier this year.
Fees for well-heeled visitors start at just under £2,700 for six nights.
The Gardens House is described in its online listing as a ‘handsome brick residence’ that now offers guests a ‘rare invitation to experience the grace and quiet rhythm of life on one of Britain’s most storied country estates.’
It also has three bathrooms and overall can accommodate eight people.
It means there would be just enough space for Andrew to have both his daughters to stay with their husbands and children.
Another option would be the four-bed Gardens House. For years the home of Sandringham’s head gardener, it was marketed as a holiday let earlier this year
The Folly
Andrew could also be moved into The Folly, a three-bed home that stands in Sandringham’s private woodland.
Like the Gardens House, it is also listed as a holiday let. It is slightly cheaper to rent than its larger counterpart.
But it can only accommodate six people and has just two bathrooms, so might be considered too small for Andrew if he intends to have his family to stay.
Built in the 19th century, it has variously served as a hunting lodge and a retreat for ladies to enjoy afternoon tea.
It was recently restored over the course of a year.
Sandringham’s website describes The Folly as being able to ‘offer guests the opportunity to experience the serene splendour’ of the estate.
Andrew could also be moved into The Folly, a three-bed home that stands in Sandringham’s private woodland
Park House
A less likely candidate for Andrew’s new home would be the 16-bed Park House, where the late Princess Diana was born and spent her childhood.
Her father, John, rented the property from the late Queen until he inherited the Earl Spencer title in 1976, when Diana was 14.
She then moved with her family to Althorp House, the Spencers’ ancestral home.
It was later given by Queen Elizabeth II to international disability charity Leonard Cheshire and was then opened as a hotel in 1987 to provide respite care for disabled people and their family.
Park House closed as a respite centre in 2020 after Leonard Cheshire abandoned plans to renovate it.
A less likely candidate for Andrew’s new home would be the 16-bed Park House, where the late Princess Diana was born and spent her childhood
Wood Farm
One option that the Daily Mail understands has been ruled out is Wood Farm, the ‘modest’ property where Andrew’s father Prince Philip spent much of his retirement.
The late Queen would often join her husband at the red brick, five-bed property.
There they could spend time together in seclusion. Queen Elizabeth also stayed there after Philip’s death in 2021.
Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have also spent time in the property, reportedly using it as a base for several Christmases.
Decades earlier, Prince John, the youngest son of George V and Queen Mary, was sent to live there.
The young royal suffered from severe epilepsy and died at Wood Farm aged 13 in 1919 after suffering a severe seizure.
One option that the Daily Mail understands has been ruled out is Wood Farm, the ‘modest’ property where Andrew’s father Prince Philip spent much of his retirement
