Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has officially moved into Marsh Farm, his permanent home on the Sandringham estate, leaving Royal Lodge in his wake. According to a new report, the 31-room property on the Windsor Replica Luxury Handbag Park estate is now lying empty, having been the former Duke of York's home since 2004.
As per The Sun, the grounds of Andrew's former home have been left looking like a "ghost town", having once been a "hive of activity" during the former prince's tenure. The future of Royal Lodge remains uncertain. Andrew once had a 75-year peppercorn rent deal on the property, which would have transferred to his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
© UK Press via Getty ImagesHowever, following King Charles' decision to remove their father from the residence, the long-term lease cannot be passed on to them. Royal Lodge is owned by the Crown Estate.
Inside Royal Lodge
© Getty ImagesIt is a grand affair, which, according to The Guardian, is "laid out across three storeys with two-storey wings, and features a 'formal room' and a large drawing room with intricate mouldings and millwork, high ceilings and large, arched windows opening out on to the rear terrace."
The property also boasts a conservatory and a saloon, which reportedly measures 48ft by 30ft, as well as seven bedrooms. It was Royal Lodge that served as a wedding reception venue for both Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in 2020 and 2018, respectively.
Inside Marsh Farm
© Getty ImagesComparatively, Marsh Farm is a small home. It's a former working farmhouse and offers a kitchen and two reception rooms. Outside, there are several outbuildings and stables dotted around the grounds.
Prior to his arrival, the home was fitted with lights and security cameras and a new wooden fence was installed around the perimeter of the property for added security and privacy. While these features were added, Andrew stayed at the neighbouring Wood Farm, the retirement property of his late father, Prince Philip.
According to royal author Hugo Vickers' new book, Queen Elizabeth II: A Personal History, the late Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed a pleasant period there after he retired from public duties in 2017.
© Getty ImagesThe author pens: "He was at his happiest at Wood Farm and he more or less settled there. In the course of the next two and a half years, that was his home. He enjoyed his carriage-driving, read voraciously and painted a little.
"From time to time, [the Queen] went up by train to Norfolk to stay the weekend. Once again, she gave him a loose rein. In a sense, they separated. Penny Romsey, the new Countess Mountbatten, often stayed with him there."
