Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has formally submitted notice to vacate Royal Lodge, though the minimum required period of 12 months means he remains responsible for the Windsor property throughout the coming year.
Following months of resistance, the Duke appears disinclined to rush his departure.
Sources at Buckingham Palace maintain they anticipate Andrew will leave during the first three months of next year.
However, insiders suggest otherwise. “You’re not going to see the removal vans outside Royal Lodge anytime soon,” one source told The Times.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has formally submitted notice to vacate Royal Lodge, though the minimum required period of 12 months means he remains responsible for the Windsor property throughout the coming year.
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A lifetime’s accumulation of luxury items and personal possessions must find a new home, including his well-documented collection of dozens of teddy bears.
Complicating matters further is the question of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s corgis, currently residing at Royal Lodge.
When Andrew and his former wife Sarah Ferguson finally separate their belongings — some three decades after their divorce — arrangements must be made for the dogs’ future care.
The King has indicated that alternative accommodation befitting Andrew’s diminished royal standing will be made available at Sandringham, his private Norfolk estate.
The King has indicated that alternative accommodation befitting Andrew’s diminished royal standing will be made available at Sandringham, his private Norfolk estate.
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Yet preparing such lodgings will require time, adding another layer of complexity to an already fraught situation.
Representatives acting on behalf of Andrew convened with the Crown Estate at Royal Lodge on November 12 to address the formal handover of the property.
During this gathering, officials conducted an initial internal survey to evaluate necessary repairs and any deterioration requiring attention before the tenancy concludes.
Prior to receiving his instructions from the King to depart, one of Andrew’s associates offered a telling assessment of the situation.
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Prior to receiving his instructions from the King to depart, one of Andrew’s associates offered a telling assessment of the situation.
“It’s really rather sad, but if it’s a case of who will blink first, then Andrew is going to dig in. He ain’t going anywhere,” the friend remarked.
That sentiment appears unchanged, with the former duke showing little inclination to expedite his exit from the 30-room Grade II listed residence he has occupied since 2003.