What it’s really like to be a royal? As commoners, we’ll likely never sneak a peek behind the closed doors of the Palace. And the opposite is also true—most of the time. It seems the disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, will soon get a tiny glimpse into our everyday lives. King Charles’s brother was stripped of his title—and then shockingly arrested in February—after his close ties to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came to light. But there’s more to this sordid story.
The king also kicked Andrew out of his lavish Windsor mansion, demanding his disgraced brother decamp to a more modest home in the British countryside. But it turns out that being cut off from the royal family, even after a major royal scandal and humiliating arrest for suspicion of misconduct in public office, doesn’t quite kick you down to true commoner status. Andrew will be keeping some privileges most of us only dream of, and there’s one perk in particular that left us stunned.
So, what fancy extra followed Andrew out the gilded palace door? You’re not going to believe this one. Read on to see how this prince-to-not-quite-pauper story turns out.
Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more royals, humor, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.
What privileges has King Charles revoked from Andrew?
Since his connection to the Epstein scandal first surfaced in 2019, Andrew has been stripped of all his titles and honors, along with his home. He’s no longer a prince, the Duke of York, Earl of Inverness or Baron Killyleagh. Also a thing of the past? Calling himself His Royal Highness. His Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order were revoked. While that’s already quite a downgrade, there was more.
Charles also cut off Andrew’s £1 million ($1.3 million) annual allowance and his multi-million-pound private security. (Charles had been paying for the latter out of his own pocket after Andrew lost his taxpayer-funded police protection in 2022.) And then there’s Royal Lodge. In February, he moved out of his Windsor home of nearly 20 years and set up shop at Sandringham, a private estate on the eastern coast of England.
But he’s not quite settled in yet. He’s currently living at Wood Farm, a smaller home on the Sandringham grounds, while his home-to-be is being renovated.
What surprising perk does Andrew get to keep?
A staff!
Though he’s technically a commoner now, Andrew won’t have to manage his new bachelor pad all by himself. Nor will he have to cook or fetch things for that matter. No, unlike most of us, he will have servants looking after his well-being.
How many servants are we talking? The latest reporting indicates he will have to make do with “just” a chef and a valet. Andrew’s team in Windsor, unsurprisingly, didn’t make the trek across the country, so the fallen prince said goodbye to his staff at Royal Lodge—including a butler, chef, gardener, housekeepers and many others—who’ve all been laid off with generous paychecks.
Once Andrew’s fully moved into his new permanent home, the chef and valet—who have yet to be recruited—will be paid by the king. (Yep, even after Andrew’s arrest.)
What is Sandringham, exactly?
Sandringham is one of the royals’ most prestigious estates, located in Norfolk, East England, just over 100 miles north of London. The British royals bought it in 1862, and it has served as a country retreat for kings, queens and other senior members of the family ever since.
The lavish main house sits amid 20,000 acres of land and huge beautiful gardens, with parts of them open to the public. Sandringham is where the royal family traditionally spends Christmas, and the late Queen Elizabeth’s grandfather, King George V, recorded the first-ever royal Christmas message there for the BBC in 1922. For more than 100 years, Sandringham has been part of that still-beloved tradition, though the message has been recorded at various other places since, including Buckingham Palace.
But Andrew won’t be living in the mansion. Instead, he’ll move into a smaller five-bedroom house on the estate, called Marsh Farm, after renovations are complete. While it can’t quite keep up with Andrew’s 30-bedroom Windsor digs, it still looks like a pretty good deal to us. Andrew, however, isn’t a fan and has reportedly complained that it is “small.”
Did Sarah Ferguson move to Sandringham with him?
No. Nearly 40 years after Fergie and Andrew got married, and 30 years after their divorce, it seems the ex-couple has decided to fully go their separate ways. If you didn’t know, the two had shared Royal Lodge since 2008, often joking that they were the “world’s most friendly divorced couple.”
But it seems things have turned sour between the pair since the Epstein scandal. While Andrew’s new address is set, it’s unknown where Fergie will move her packed boxes to. “Contrary to reports, she has never asked for a property or any provision for herself. She will continue to forge an independent life,” a source who knows Fergie told People magazine.
What other perks does Andrew get to keep?
Plenty. For starters, unlike at his old home, where Andrew paid a modest rent, he’ll stay at Marsh Farm completely for free. Even the renovations and added amenities, including Sky TV and WiFi, are all paid by Charles. Insiders estimate that the monarch could end up spending millions just to keep his brother out of sight.
There’s one more perk: Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne. Yes, really. Removing him from the line of succession would require the British Parliament to pass a law—which is a definite possibility after his arrest. But government officials have said this huge undertaking will have to wait until legal proceedings have concluded. And, let’s face it, it’s extremely unlikely he’ll ever become king anyway.
What do Andrew’s new neighbors say about him?
Not much good for now.
Sandringham locals have said they were “quite shocked” to hear about Norfolk’s latest resident, calling Charles’s decision to send Andrew into their neighborhood “a real shame,” the Telegraph reported. Others bluntly said “we don’t want him here” and that they “wouldn’t speak to him.”
People aren’t loving the additional security surrounding Andrew either. It seems safe to say that Andrew isn’t getting invited to Sandringham’s friendly pub quizzes or sharing many pints with the locals! That being said, he probably doesn’t mind. The ex-partier is often described as a bit of a couch potato who spends most of his days watching television, playing video games and—a passion we wouldn’t have guessed—watching videos of planes landing.
RELATED:
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of stories on the British royal family, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the fascinating facets of the monarchy. We regularly cover topics including the latest royal news, the history and meaning behind time-honored traditions, and the everyday quirks of everyone’s favorite family members, from Queen Elizabeth’s daily snack to Prince William’s confessions about his home life. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on Andrew’s royal perks, Astrid Hofer tapped her experience as a London-based journalist with more than 20 years of experience covering topics including the British royal family. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
Sky News: “King formally strips Andrew of prince title and HRH style”
Standard: “King Charles reportedly ‘ends’ Prince Andrew’s £1m annual allowance and security”
Independent: “How Andrew is set to be supported financially after King removes his titles”
Telegraph: “‘We don’t want Andrew here’: The Norfolk residents up in arms about their new neighbour”
Telegraph: “‘He’s a couch potato’: How Andrew spends his days”
InStyle: “Ex-Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson are reportedly no longer a ‘friendly divorced couple’ amid scandal”
People: “Sarah Ferguson to move into ‘separate home’ from Prince Andrew and ‘forge an independent life,’ source says (Exclusive)”
Yahoo! Entertainment: “King Charles is reportedly paying ‘millions’ for ex-Prince Andrew to renovate his new home after stripping him of his titles”
Express: “The only two staff members Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is allowed – but the jobs are vacant”
New York Times: “How Britain Could Remove Andrew From the Royal Line of Succession”
