Andrew ‘having a very nice time’ in exile at Sandringham surrounded by ‘plenty of friends’

It’s been eight months since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor became the first senior British royal in nearly 400 years to be arrested.

The 66-year-old, who is King Charles’ younger brother and eighth-in-line to the throne, has largely avoided being seen after that night, when he was infamously photographed huddled in the back seat of a car after being questioned for 12 hours by police.

He has launched legal action against police over search raids of his home and remains under investigation following his arrest on February 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office. No charges have been laid and he has always denied any wrongdoing.

The former Duke of York is occasionally seen walking his dogs or riding his horse close to Marsh Farm, the five-bedroom cottage where he now lives on the king’s private estate, Sandringham, in country Norfolk.

He was forced to step back from official royal duties in 2019 over his past friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and was last seen with the royals on September 16 last year in central London, attending the funeral of the Duchess of Kent.

Much has happened since that day, including the formal removal of his royal titles and honours by the king, his eviction from Royal Lodge in Windsor and of course, his arrest.

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Andrew is very much a persona non grata when it comes to royal circles, but has managed to retain a close group of supporters who remain loyal − despite his very public fall from grace.

And while many assume his new life is bleak and marked by lonely days watching television and long walks, his forced retirement is “much jollier” than most believe, a new report from The Times has revealed.

Andrew is not welcome at the royal family’s private events, including Christmas at Sandringham House and summer at Balmoral Castle, with all invitations drying up, but “a year on he finds himself settled into a new routine”, the publication says.

It quotes an unnamed “well-placed source” who said of Andrew’s new life: “He’s having a very nice time, thank you very much. He goes out, he goes off shooting with friends, he sees his old chums who are very loyal to him. He’s not sitting around feeling sorry for himself any more”.

The Times added that “plenty of friends from the old guard” accompanied Andrew for shooting trips to the Balmoral estate, in Scotland, while the former prince has regular catch up with friends in Norfolk.

A source told the publication: “I don’t agree with this viewpoint, but there’s a feeling among a lot of these chums that this is a storm in a teacup and it will blow over”.

While no-one has put their name to being a supporter or friend of Andrew’s, his long-time ally, and ex-wife, is not believed to be among them any more.

When Andrew was evicted from Royal Lodge, so too was Sarah Ferguson, who had lived at the property since 2008, moving in after a fire caused damage to the home she was living in nearby.

They had remained close friends since their divorce in 1996 after a decade of marriage, and Ferguson had spoken in favourable terms about Andrew.

“I will stand very firmly by [my belief that] Andrew is a very good and kind man, and that’s what I believe,” she told Times Radio in June 2022.

Ferguson, who also lost her Duchess of York title in October last year, said of being married to him: “I think my life is an amazing life, I think I’ve been very lucky”.

When King Charles stayed briefly at Wood Farm at Sandringham in May, he avoided seeing his brother, who by then was living at Marsh Farm just seven kilometres away (or a 15-minute drive apart). However, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, have visited him.

While Andrew had until October 30 this year to hand back the keys to Royal Lodge under the terms of his lease agreement, he vacated the 30-bedroom mansion in early February under the cover of darkness.

He moved to Wood Farm, at Sandringham, days after the release of millions of documents − known as the Epstein files − by the US Justice Department including one which showed a photo of Andrew on all fours leaning over an unnamed woman.

Andrew remained at Wood Farm until renovations were completed on Marsh Farm, also on the estate, nearby.

Ferguson has not been seen in public since September 16, with Andrew and the royals at Westminster Cathedral. She spent several months abroad in Switzerland but returned to the UK in late August, where she is reportedly renting a gated property in the Home Counties.

The 66-year-old has kept a low profile following the increased scrutiny on her and Andrew and revelations surrounding their links to Epstein.

“The red setter, as she’s known, is not welcome at Marsh Farm,” a source told The Times.

“She’s persona non grata as far as Andrew is concerned.”

While it is not known why she is no longer friendly with Andrew, her name is mentioned hundreds of times in the Epstein files.

The documents appeared to show Andrew’s correspondence with the paedophile financier continued for years after he pleaded guilty to sex-trafficking offences, while Ferguson also engaged in many emails with Epstein.

In one email exchange from 2011, Ferguson appeared to apologise for her public rejection of him, saying: “You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family”.

She also praised Epstein, referring to him as the “brother I have always wished for”.

Their daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice were also mentioned in the files, and one email exchange shows the former duchess took her daughters to have lunch with Epstein in Miami days after his release from prison.

It is not known how much contact Andrew has with his daughters or his five grandchildren, the most recent being Adelaide Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie’s daughter, born in August.

Andrew no longer has taxpayer-funded police protection, and he is given a six-figure allowance from King Charles for expenses including security. But the monarch has forbidden his younger brother from using that money to fund his recent legal action against Thames Valley Police.

The former prince is also likely to miss out on nearly $1 million in compensation for handing back the lease on Royal Lodge early, owing to the amount of repairs needed on the heritage-listed building.

On October 30, the keys to the Grade-II listed property will be officially surrendered to the Crown Estate. He had served notice on the property 12 months before under the terms of his lease.

The state of the home will be assessed, and a decision will be made if Andrew is owed any compensation.

Andrew originally stood to receive around £488,342 (approx. $982,000) for handing back his property before the lease expired.

According to The Times, the king’s brother is unlikely to receive any financial compensation.