Prince Andrew has reportedly caused outrage among staff with his entitled behaviour during his move from Royal Lodge to Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate. The disgraced royal, who was evicted from his former 30-room home following his association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, is said to have made extraordinary demands, including the precise arrangement of his extensive teddy bear collection.
Three removal vans from Gander & White, a company specialising in fine art transport and holding a royal warrant, were seen arriving at Marsh Farm on Tuesday. It is unclear what was being transported, but valuable pieces from the Royal Collection Trust, previously on display at Royal Lodge, are believed to have been moved. Some items were part of the Royal Family's private collection, while others were owned by the Queen Mother, who lived at Royal Lodge before Andrew.
According to The Times, pieces from the Royal Collection Trust were meant to be returned after Andrew was stripped of his titles. However, it appears he decided to take much of the artwork with him. A 19th-century oil painting titled 'Eugenie, Empress of the French and wife of Napoleon III' by Charles Édouard Boutibonne was among the works previously adorning his walls.
Andrew's sense of entitlement has been evident throughout the move. He is said to have been appalled that Marsh Farm has only five bedrooms, compared to Royal Lodge's seven bedrooms in a 30-room mansion. 'He really didn't want Marsh Farm,' an insider told the Mail. 'He won't have lived anywhere that small since he left his apartment at Buckingham Palace.'
Packing up Royal Lodge was a monumental task, left largely to staff after Andrew's emergency eviction. His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson's love of spending added to the complexity, with piles of unopened Amazon deliveries left behind. Andrew's prized teddy bear collection, numbering 72, had to be packed with extreme care. Former staff member Charlotte Briggs told the Sun: 'As soon as I got the job, I was told about the teddies, and it was drilled into me how he wanted them. I even had a day's training. Everything had to be just right.'
Most of the bears have been stored in a south London warehouse under 24-hour guard, but Andrew has kept a cuddly monkey. He is also reportedly unhappy about the lack of staff at his new home, despite not having the space or means to afford them. The King has offered a cleaner, groundsman and cook on an ad hoc basis, but this 'hasn't gone down well'.
