Sandringham Locals Share How They Really Feel About Andrew’s Arrival — No Surprises Here
There is something jarring about a man who was once a royal—a prince even—but now has been reduced to a common man, sitting quietly on the edge of a life he once devoured. Stripped of his military titles and royal patronages and forced out of Royal Lodge, Prince Andrew—now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—has relocated to Wood Farm in the Sandringham estate. In time, he is expected to move to Marsh Farm once renovations are complete. The shift is meant to distance him from public life and the public in general. But on the ground in Norfolk, it has not brought calm.
If the intention was to lower the temperature, it has not worked. In King’s Lynn, the nearest town to the estate, frustration is everywhere. Posters opposing his arrival were briefly put up before being taken down. Angela, a nearby resident, summed up the mood shared by others in her statement to The Mirror, saying, “We love Sandringham; we don't care who's there, but I think my best thought is that he should exile himself and put us all out of our misery.”
The unease goes beyond simply having a controversial public figure as a neighbor. It centers on Mountbatten-Windsor’s long-standing association with Jeffrey Epstein and the scrutiny that continues to follow. Police are assessing allegations that, during his time as the UK's trade envoy, Andrew may have shared confidential information with the convicted offender. Recently released documents appear to show him emailing Epstein reports from official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore in 2010.
Residents living near the estate speak with weary disbelief. Chris Thompson, who lives nearby, questioned whether the move was wise in the first place. He described it as “a very good idea”—before making clear he meant the opposite. “I would have thought King Charles is supporting him with his bills, but it's a bit bleak out there. I don't think there'll be a lot there for him to do, really,” he said. While many residents accept there is little they can do about Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrival, local business owners are considering and imagining how they would respond if he walked through their doors. For some, the question is not abstract. At the recently opened House of Hair & Beauty on Tower Street, owner Cole was clear. When asked how he would react if the former Duke of York sought his services, he said, “I think someone like Andrew should be locked up, and justice should be served.”
While his arrival has unsettled parts of the community, not all of the frustration is directed at the wider Royal Family. Several residents drew a clear line between the former Duke of York and other senior royals, whose public duties have been overshadowed by the continuing fallout. Taxi driver Tony was firm in separating the two. “It's not the family's fault. The only thing they can do now is to send him to an island on his own and keep away from him. I think it's time we left Charlie and William and the family alone. They can't be responsible for what Andrew's done. But I think he'll get his comeuppance, and that there will be more to come.”