Insider Claims Andrew Faces an Even 'More Dramatic' Future Amid His Move to Sandringham

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor attends the QIPCO King George Weekend at Ascot Racecourse. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Max Mumby/Indigo)

Dec. 02 2025, Published 09:05 AM. ET

After much back and forth, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor finally agreed in October to vacate Royal Lodge and shift to a smaller residence on the Sandringham Estate. This move was done in order to draw a line under months of tension surrounding the 30-room, Grade II listed property as well as King Charles's aim for a more modernized monarchy. But according to royal biographer Andrew Lownie, this shift is unlikely to settle the matter, and he warned that it may only be the beginning of a far more 'dramatic path' ahead.

Prince Andrew attends the Sunday Service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, Windsor. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Steve Parsons - WPA Pool) — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor attends the Sunday Service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, Windsor. (Image Source: Getty Images | Steve Parsons - WPA Pool)

As reported by Express, Lownie noted that Mountbatten-Windsor only agreed to vacate the property after “holding out for all sorts of requirements,” resisting the decision until the Palace agreed to several of his demands. He warned that even with the plan to move into a smaller house at Sandringham, this is unlikely to be the end of the story. In Lownie's words, the Norfolk property "could be a temporary stop on a far more dramatic path," suggesting that the disgraced royal might leave Britain entirely for a fresh start in the Middle East.

The biographer expanded on this view in a separate interview with The Mirror and explained why he believes the Sandringham arrangement is unlikely to hold. "I personally don't think that he's going to end up at Sandringham; I think that charges will be brought against him and he will flee to the Middle East or somewhere…but that's only me speculating," Lownie opined. The former Prince has been to the Middle East several times over the years. Moreover, due to its far more controlled media environment compared to the UK, the region could offer a level of privacy the 65-year-old no longer enjoys at home.

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor walks behind the coffin during the ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on September 14, 2022 in London, United Kingdom. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Martin Meissner) — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor walks behind the coffin during the ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. (Image Source: Getty Images | Martin Meissner)

With Mountbatten-Windsor’s next move uncertain at this point, some reports have also claimed that he is seeking a $99 million payout to ‘even think’ about vacating Royal Lodge. A source close to the Palace allegedly told journalist Rob Shuter that the former Prince "is not just refusing to leave Royal Lodge; he’s practically super-gluing himself to the furniture." Recalling the same in his Substack, Shuter reveals that Mountbatten reportedly “wants £75,000,000 to even think about moving out." Along with this, the former Prince is also said to be asking for “a giant six- or seven-bedroom house on the Sandringham Estate as his replacement.”

Prince Andrew arrives for the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent. (Cover Image Source: Getty Images| Aaron Chown - Pool) — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrives for the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent. (Image Source: Getty Images | Aaron Chown - Pool)

With negotiations said to be still underway, Mountbatten-Windsor is ‘staying put’ at the 30-room estate. Earlier reports suggested that he would be relocating to Sandringham in early 2026, but for now, his shifting plans have reportedly been stretched till February. He has lived in his Grade II-listed property for more than two decades, and for that reason, the former Prince is said to be struggling with downsizing. "He has a large house where he has lived for a long time, and he will be moving into a more modest house, so logically, it won’t happen this side of Christmas," a source told The Sun. For the wider royal family, the delay may be a quiet relief, sparing them of an awkward encounter with the former Prince during their Christmas gathering.