DISGRACED Andrew Mountbatten Windsor only agreed to leave Royal Lodge after he lost the support of ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, it is claimed.

The King’s brother is set to move to “private accommodation” on the Sandringham estate following his eviction from the Windsor mansion and removal of his birth title of prince.

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor finally left Royal Lodge after Sarah Ferguson deserted him, sources claimCredit: PA

Insiders say Fergie has been considering moving overseas for the first timeCredit: Getty

A drone view shows Royal Lodge, a large property on the estate surrounding Windsor Castle, where Fergie has lived for 30 yearsCredit: Reuters
The stubborn ex-Duke of York, 65, finally agreed to leave the 30-room mansion, gifted to him by the late Queen Elizabeth, after it became clear his closest ally Fergie was deserting him, reports The Times.

It’s understood she has refused to join Andrew in exile on the Sandringham estate – and, as a result, has been left to find her own living arrangements, with a move abroad on the cards.

Insiders have told the Daily Mail Fergie could quit the UK because she has “nowhere else to turn” and “the phone has simply stopped ringing”.

The ex-Duchess of York has held talks with an expensive “brand rescue team” in an effort to move on with her life, as we reported last night.

 

Epstein scandal

Fergie lost a string of patronages after The Sun on Sunday revealed she had emailed Jeffrey Epstein calling him a “supreme friend” and apologising for saying he was a paedophile.

She was also axed from ITV daytime telly show Loose Women.

Fergie, 66, is expected to be forced to shed most of her staff and flunkeys after Andrew was finally forced out of his Windsor mansion.

She married Andrew in 1986 and they divorced in 1996. Fergie moved into his Royal Lodge home 22 years later.

Earlier this month, Andrew agreed to give up his Duke of York title after we published emails which revealed he had lied about cutting off contact with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.

It coincided with the release of sex accuser  Virginia Giuffre‘s posthumous memoir which reiterated claims she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with Andrew on multiple occasions.

On Thursday was forced to relinquish his birth title of prince along with the lease to his home that was meant to run until 2078 – though he remains in line to the throne.

His right to succession can be removed only by an act of parliament but the Government has ruled out such a move.

King Charles, 76, brought down the axe this week starting the formal process of removing the “the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew” after a febrile few weeks.

Meanwhile, royal expert Ingrid Seward told The Sun Fergie would be supported by her daughters – Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie – who have kept their titles, and pals.

“I would imagine that Fergie’s always had a huge number of friends, and I’m sure her friends will be rallying around her now, when she will really, really need them,” said the author.

“I think Fergie realises she actually has to distance herself from Andrew, I would be very surprised if she doesn’t, and get on with her own life, instead of having it attached to him.

“I think she needs to move away from it all, and give her children a chance to at least try and help their mother if they can’t help their father.

“And she will, I’m sure, lean on them at this moment, and her two daughters will be supporting her as well.”

Fergie’s rebrand

Her daughters are said to be encouraging their mum to embark on a rebrand.

It is understood she is working with fixers who operate with some of the biggest brands.

And Sarah has told her team of experts she wants to be a leader in the “female positivity world”.

The one-time duchess wants to embark on a number of commercial opportunities as a mother and philanthropist.

15
Members of the media at the entrance of Royal Lodge, as people on horseback ride by on FridayCredit: Reuters
 

15
The pair lived at Royal Lodge together for more than 30 years despite being divorcedCredit: Getty
 

15
King Charles booted Andrew out of Royal Lodge after a single phone callCredit: Reuters
A source said yesterday: “Sarah has always been a grafter and a hard worker and always finds ways of making money and getting out of a hole.

“She has expensive tastes and massive outgoings but always found a way to make ends meet.

“Calls from brands may go unanswered right now but she is still Sarah Ferguson and still a big name.”

It is not the first time that ­Fergie has been forced to work for a living.

Following her divorce she became a spokeswoman for WeightWatchers after enduring years of being teased about her size.

And seven months after her divorce she published her memoir, Sarah: My Story, which went on to sell 1.5million copies.

Fergie also wrote children’s book series Budgie the Little Helicopter, which sold 50,000 copies in less than two weeks and spawned a range of merchandise.

In 2011 the six-part documentary series Finding Sarah: From Royalty to the Real World aired on the Oprah ­Winfrey Network in the US.

And in 2008 Sarah’s fly-on-the-wall ITV show The Duchess in Hull saw her moving in with a family on a council estate as she tried to persuade them to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

More recently, she wrote historical fiction romance novels, including Sunday Times bestseller A Most Intriguing Lady.

But Sarah’s foray two years ago into podcasts — where she teamed up with entrepreneur Sarah Thomson for Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah — proved to be less successful.

‘Siege of Royal Lodge’

King Charles ended the “siege of Royal Lodge” with a single call to his younger brother Andrew, according to a royal source.

Buckingham Palace confirmed the disgraced royal had been booted from the Windsor mansion in a statement on Thursday evening.

A royal source has now claimed the move came after three years of “humanity, warmth and compassion,” from Charles, as reported by The Times.

The insider alleged His Majesty had been working on the exit plan for 18 months as Andrew dug his heels in.

Andrew stays in line to the throne

ANDREW will keep a chance of becoming King — despite formally losing all his titles.

His right to succession can be removed only by an act of parliament but the Government has ruled out such a move.

It comes despite calls led by Labour MP Jon Trickett who warned that an “unimaginable family tragedy” could leave Andrew as King.

A No10 spokesman said: “There are no plans. The Government is committed to using parliamentary time to improve the lives of working people.”

Andrew sits only eighth in line to the throne, behind Prince Harry and his children.

Taking away his place would trigger a complex legal process involving the 14 other Commonwealth realms that have Charles as Head of State.

However, his fall was rubber-stamped yesterday as he was taken off the Roll of the Peerage.

The Royal Collection Trust is scheduled to remove artwork at the mansion that have been there for decades.

Masterpieces including 19th-century oil painting Eugenie, Empress of the French by Edouard Boutibonne, will be taken.

Even an ancient sword that Princess Beatrice picked up at a party as a joke and accidentally cut singer Ed Sheeran’s face with, will be lost.

A palace source confirmed Andrew and Fergie would, however, be allowed to keep the two corgi dogs, Sandy and Muick.

They inherited the pooches from the late Queen, but it’s not known who will take which animal.

Despite fighting for Andrew’s eviction for years, an insider also claimed the King finally reached breaking point.

“Patience has well and truly worn thin,” they said.

“Everyone is mindful of his wellbeing, and has his best interests at heart but there are limits even to the King’s patience and tolerance.”

Another source claimed the ex-prince was taking too long to realise “the reality of the situation”.

The King eventually brought in lawyers to find out how to legally strip Andrew of his titles and remove him from Royal Lodge.

15
A royal expert suggested the former Duchess would be supported by her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess EugenieCredit: PA
 

15
The pair married in 1986, separated in 1992, and divorced in 1996Credit: Getty
 

15
Fergie has always remained loyal to her ex-husband but sources say she has now distanced herself
Sources said His Majesty’s final and swift decision was “as innovative as it is historic”.

It is understood lawyers discovered the dukedom would not be extinguished by an act of parliament but could be formally withheld by removing the duke from the peerage roll.

The prince title could be stripped by a royal warrant, editing Andrew out of the George V 1917 letters patent that give the children of a monarch the automatic right to the title.

Andrew will be moving to his new home on the £60 million Sandringham estate early next year.

It remains unclear which of the several houses on the estate Andrew will be placed in but it is understood the King will be privately funding the move.

The ex-duke will go to one of five properties available to him on the estate – York Cottage, Gardens House, The Folly, Park House or Wood Farm.

All the titles Andrew is giving up

Andrew is giving up all his titles after discussions with the King and wider Royal Family.

They are:

Duke of York
Earl of Inverness
Barony Killyleagh
Prince
Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order

He has also agreed to not use the honours given to him as a Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter.

He will now just be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

It is understood the location has been kept secret to protect Andrew’s safety.

A royal source added: “For a while, there were significant welfare issues. His entire raison d’être revolves around status. We were asking ourselves: ‘Can he cope?’ In the end, we reached a tipping point and he was made to see sense.”

In a bombshell statement issued to the world at 7pm on Thursday, Buckingham Palace said: “His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.

They added: “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

And said: “His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence.

“Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.

15
Fergie was axed from ITV daytime telly show Loose Women and lost charity patronages amid the fall out
 

15
Andrew with a 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre at Ghislaine Maxwell’s London homeCredit: AFP
 

15
Andrew with paedo pal Epstein in Central Park, NYC, in 2010Credit: Jae Donnelly
“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.”

The move was said to have been started by the King and supported by Prince William – while Andy is said to have accepted.

Hinting Queen Camilla was also involved, the palace said: “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”

The shock removal process axes Andy’s titles Prince, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh and the style ‘His Royal Highness’.

He also loses his Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order.

Daughters Princess Beatrice and HRH Princess Eugenie retain their titles in line with King George V’s Letters Patent of 1917.

Virginia Giuffre’s brother has released a statement following news of Andrew’s eviction.

“Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage,” said her brother Skye and sister-in-law Amanda.

“Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her.

“Today, she declares victory. We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia’s battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.”

Prince Andrew continues to deny allegations of sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life in April.

He paid out an estimated £12million in an out of court settlement in February 2022.

But despite Andy’s denials it is understood the actions taken by the King are as a result of his brother’s serious lapses of judgement.

The ex-Duke has always denied all allegations regarding Ms GuiffreCredit: Jon Bond

Andrew reportedly offered to swap Royal Lodge for Frogmore Cottage – gifted to Prince Harry after his wedding – as renovation work ramps upCredit: Jon Bond

The statement from Buckingham Palace, released on ThursdayCredit: Crown Copyright