The former Prince Andrew is set to move to a ‘temporary’ Sandringham property when he vacates Royal Lodge in the New Year, sources have told The Mail on Sunday.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is set to swap his 30-room mansion for a ‘shoebox-sized’ holding property on a remote part of the King’s private Norfolk estate.
The property he will eventually move into is understood to be currently under extensive renovation in preparation for his arrival, suggesting that it will be a substantial home, though still much smaller than Royal Lodge.
But sources say even the renovated property might not be his full time base for long.
Friends of the former Duke of York say it is unlikely the disgraced Royal will remain in Norfolk full-time, and suggest that he could relocate to the Middle East where he has long-established business contacts.
Many believe that Bahrain is the ultimate destination for Andrew in the long term.
The revelations about Andrew’s future comes as royal aides have begun removing the contents of Royal Lodge under ‘cover of darkness’ in preparation for Andrew’s departure next year.
A lorry belonging to the Royal Household is understood to have taken the first few items last week to a Windsor storage facility belonging to the Crown Estate.
The former Prince Andrew is set to move to a ‘shoebox-sized’ ‘temporary’ property on Sandringham estate in Norfolk, sources have told The Mail on Sunday
Sources say the property on the King’s Norfolk estate (pictured) may not be Andrew’s full time base for long
It believed that Andrew was keen to move to the five-bedroom cottage Wood Farm – where Prince Philip spent his retirement – but there had been some debate over whether that might mean he is ‘too close’ to the rest of the family.
For now the location remains a closely guarded secret and last night Royal sources declined to comment or shed any light on the name or exact location of the property that is being renovated.
Sources say one of the most significant factors delaying the Andrew’s departure from Royal Lodge is the sheer volume of disorder inside the ‘dilapidated’ property.
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Aides have expressed concerns that Andrew – a ‘natural hoarder’ who has filled the rooms of his Windsor home with clutter – was not prepared to accept any help to sort through his private collections.
Around ’80 per cent’ of his belongings must go, sources claim, and some ante-rooms are said to be filled to the ceiling with piles of documents and photographs.
Some require careful handling, while others which relate to Royal history may need to be professionally archived.
One source said: ‘A lorry has been and gone under the cover of darkness. Andrew is going to a shoebox-sized house, compared to Royal Lodge, so a lot of the things that were taken are going into a storage unit. The clutter at Royal Lodge is turning what should be a straightforward move into a months-long, room-by-room excavation.
‘It’s all going to be painfully slow, especially with refurbishment work to complete at the other end. These aren’t the kind of belongings you can sweep into a skip. Even if Andrew wanted to move tomorrow, he couldn’t. ‘
A Buckingham Palace spokesman declined to comment.
