Disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has been seen laughing as he prepares to finally vacate his Windsor home, with his most prized possessions now being held under tight security at a secretive London location.
Possessions moved to high-security warehouse
The former Duke of York has removed a trove of valuable items from the 31-room Royal Lodge mansion ahead of his enforced move to the more modest Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. His possessions, which are understood to include precious artworks, are currently stored at a secure warehouse in South London.
The site is reportedly protected by guards who patrol the building around the clock. A source highlighted the irony of the situation, noting that despite being stripped of his official royal duties, Andrew's world still involves the trappings of royalty, even when it comes to moving his belongings.
Eviction follows Epstein revelations
This major upheaval was ordered by his brother, King Charles III, after it was revealed that Andrew had remained in contact with the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, despite previously claiming to have severed all ties. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding his friendship with Epstein.
Photographers captured Andrew smiling behind the wheel of a vehicle at the Windsor estate, with the completion of his move to the Norfolk royal residence expected in the coming months.
Ongoing US investigation casts a long shadow
The move comes against the backdrop of a massive ongoing investigation by the US Department of Justice into Epstein and his associates. Thousands of documents have been released under a court disclosure act, one of which infamously shows Andrew lying across several young women while Epstein's accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, looks on.
The Department of Justice has described the document review process as "resource-intensive," requiring manual checks to redact victim-identifying information. Officials state the process demands "around-the-clock attention" due to the sheer volume of material. There is no confirmed timeline for when the full cache of documents will be made public.
This scandal has had profound personal consequences for Andrew, including being stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages, and now his home. Reports suggest even his daughter, Princess Eugenie, has distanced herself from him in the wake of the continuing fallout.
