King Charles Makes a Big Christmas Decision For Andrew Despite His Eviction
Despite getting evicted in October by King Charles, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is expected to spend this Christmas at Royal Lodge, a 30-room estate he has called home since the early 2000s. Even though preparations for his removal from the property are already underway, the move is unfolding at a slow pace, described by several insiders as a quiet blessing for the wider royal family, who would have found his presence at Sandringham during the festive season quite uncomfortable.
As reported by The Mirror, one source revealed that the King’s residence is already full of senior relatives, and the traditional Christmas morning walk to church is a closely watched affair. Talking about Mountbatten-Windsor, the insider added, “He won’t be anywhere near the Big House [the nickname given to the monarch’s home at Sandringham]." This line alone reflects the mood behind Palace walls, where the view is that hosting him at Sandringham would only stir up needless tension at a time when the family is trying to present a united front.
Palace aides have said privately that his move to Charles’s estate, where he will live in what is effectively permanent isolation, will not take place until some time in the New Year. Also, packing up his things in Royal Lodge, where he has lived for more than two decades, is also proving to be, in their words, “quite a substantial logistical process, if nothing else.” Those close to the matter say the sheer number of personal belongings has turned the relocation into a slow, careful operation that cannot be rushed.
There is also the unresolved matter of ending his 75-year ‘cast-iron’ lease early, which officials admit may take longer to untangle. Even so, bringing the disgraced royal ‘physically close’ to the rest of the family at Christmas would make the monarch’s earlier decision to enforce the eviction look ‘all barbed.’ This remark underlines the concern that the optics could overshadow everything else during the holiday. However, despite the controversies, his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, retain a firm footing within the Firm.
After King Charles agreed to what has been described as a ‘secret deal,’ it was decided that Mountbatten-Windsor’s daughters would keep their titles. Supporters of this decision have already bolstered Beatrice’s standing, as shown by her appointment as Deputy Patron of Outward Bound, a charity long connected to the royal family. Interestingly, Mountbatten-Windsor previously held the role of the Royal Patron of the charity, which was passed down to him from his father, Prince Philip. He took over the role in March 2019 and then stepped down in November 2019 after his disastrous Newsnight interview.
For the former Prince, the writing is on the wall. His past ties with Jeffrey Epstein have cost him his public roles, princely title, and now his long-held home. Although he denies any wrongdoing, the fallout has continued to reshape his life behind closed doors. For now, though, he will pass one final Christmas under the familiar roof of Royal Lodge, even as the clock ticks on the future he cannot escape.