A source close to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has said the former prince is 'having a very nice time' and is not 'feeling sorry for himself anymore' as he continues to keep a low profile amid an ongoing police investigation.
Andrew has remained out of the limelight for several months, eight months after he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was arrested in February, on the morning of his 66th birthday, after it was alleged he passed on confidential information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his time as trade envoy to the UK.
Time with loyal friends
Andrew spent 12 hours in police custody in Norfolk before being released under investigation. Since then, the former Duke of York has only been spotted a few times driving his car and walking his dog around the Sandringham estate. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
While the lack of sightings has led many to believe Andrew is holed up in Marsh Farm with little contact to the outside world, a friend of the former prince's has said this is not his reality.
A source close to Andrew told The Times: “Don’t believe all that 'poor Andy' c**p. He’s having a very nice time, thank you very much. He goes out, he goes off shooting with friends, he sees his old chums who are very loyal to him. He’s not sitting around feeling sorry for himself any more.”
Legal action over search warrants
Another source close to the disgraced royal recently claimed that Andrew is feeling confident about an upcoming legal battle, as he launched legal action against Thames Valley Police and the Central Criminal Court.
On Monday, it emerged that the former prince is taking legal action against both the police force and the Central Criminal Court in a bid to quash search warrants which led to his arrest, with a private High Court hearing to take place on Thursday.
The former Duke of York has been granted permission to challenge whether the police force acted lawfully over the searches relating to his dramatic arrest in February. With the hearing due to take place in the High Court tomorrow, a source close to the former prince said Andrew is 'convinced' he will emerge victorious in his legal battle.
A friend of Andrew's told The Sun: “He seems incredibly buoyant despite everything he has been through and is really upbeat. He is utterly convinced that one day he will be completely exonerated. He thinks this is the first step towards that.”
Following the news of the upcoming hearing, a palace source added that Andrew's legal defence was a matter for him and his lawyers and that Buckingham Palace has no role in determining its strategy or actions.
On Monday, Andrew was warned that he is not to use private funds provided from the King to pay for his legal action. Charles does make some financial provision for his disgraced younger brother, in the form of an annual stipend to help pay for his living costs at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate.
