King Charles and Prince William ‘final straw’ claim over Andrew
Prince Andrew has reportedly been moved out of Royal Lodge following renewed public scrutiny after the US Department of Justice released a fresh tranche of files linked to Jeffrey Epstein. The Daily Express said the fallout intensified this week after the disgraced former Duke of York was seen horse riding around the Windsor estate as the documents prompted new headlines.
Express reported that royal sources claimed King Charles and Prince William were infuriated by the “sight” of Andrew riding at Windsor during the latest Epstein coverage, with the moment described as the “final straw” that led to an urgent decision to remove him from the estate and send him to Norfolk.
The report said Andrew agreed to give up his lease on Royal Lodge after claims emerged that he had been paying “peppercorn rent”, and that the timing of his departure was accelerated amid the renewed controversy. It added that a decision to “extract him and send him into exile” was taken after what was described as an “urgent discussion” between the King and the Prince of Wales at Sandringham last Sunday.
A source quoted in the report said there were concerns about how Andrew’s public behaviour would be received, alleging that “waving at the public” evoked his former royal role and would not go down well while he was still seen enjoying “the trappings of royalty”. The latest development follows wider coverage of the monarchy’s handling of Andrew, including pressure on King Charles after claims linked to the Epstein files.
Andrew has previously denied wrongdoing and has not commented on the latest revelations. The situation is likely to keep focus on how the Royal Family manages reputational risk as further reporting emerges around the Duke’s past association with Epstein.
