Andrew Could Relocate to a Little-Known Island — And He Wouldn’t Be the Only Disgraced Royal There

A biographer claims the Duke of York could relocate to an offbeat island in the Middle East.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor may soon be trading seclusion in Britain for something far more distant but opulent. According to a royal biographer, the former Duke of York could be preparing to relocate to the Middle East, placing physical and symbolic distance between himself and the controversies that have followed him for years.

The suggestion comes as Mountbatten-Windsor faces mounting pressure at home, including the loss of his long-time residence and continued public scrutiny over his past associations. Royal author Andrew Lownie, speaking to Page Six, said he understands that Bahrain is a likely destination. “Certainly, he is likely to go out there,” the author said. “He’s going (to) be away from press scrutiny…and it’ll be nice and sunny.” The island nation, located in the Persian Gulf, would not be unfamiliar territory for disgraced royals. Spain’s former king, Juan Carlos I, who abdicated in 2014 and left the country in 2020 amid financial and personal scandals, is also known to reside there.

It is worth mentioning that Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, are expected to vacate Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park by January 25, following pressure from King Charles. Despite this, Lownie does not believe Mountbatten-Windsor will leave immediately. “The shooting season is still on, so I think he’s likely to stay in Britain for the moment,” he said, noting that the UK shooting season largely wraps up on February 1. In the short term, he is expected to relocate within royal property.

It was reported earlier that the former Duke will temporarily move into accommodation at Sandringham, the King’s Norfolk estate. But Lownie remains sceptical about how much of Mountbatten-Windsor’s situation will ever be publicly explained. “We’re not going to be told the full story,” he said, suggesting that private assurances may be shaping decisions behind the scenes. One such assurance, Lownie claims, involves Mountbatten-Windsor’s long-term position within the family. He alleged that Mountbatten-Windsor has been given 'guarantees' that when Prince William becomes king, “he isn’t going to be thrown under the bus,” despite reports that his nephew 'loathes' him. 

Any attempt to quietly sideline the disgraced Prince also has to account for Ferguson, the mother of his daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35. Although divorced, Ferguson has remained a constant presence in his life. She lost the Duchess of York title when her ex-husband was stripped of his royal patronages and titles.