The Duke of York has reportedly become a "virtual recluse" since his disastrous interview with Emily Maitlis. Prince Andrew has been "in his own form of lockdown for the past three years", a source told The Telegraph.
Andrew, who is eighth in line to the throne, was stripped of his military patronages and His Royal Highness title after he paid a multimillion-pound settlement to Virginia Giuffre, who had accused him of sexual assault, a claim he denied. He has rarely made public appearances since the public relations calamity of his Newsnight interview about his links to sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
In a piece detailing how Andrew now fills his days, the Telegraph reports that he lives with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, at Royal Lodge, their 30-room home in Windsor Great Park. The report claims he is "a virtual recluse, only venturing out to go horse-riding on the Windsor estate twice a week, or for the occasional swim".
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It adds that before the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, he visited her almost daily. He and Sarah now take care of the royal corgis, Muick and Sandy, along with their five Norfolk terriers.
A source told the Telegraph that Andrew can sometimes be seen walking the dogs but added: "These days, he barely goes out at all. He rarely goes out socially in the evening – where would he go? The only times he used to go out were to visit the Queen at the castle and now he can’t even do that." Another source said: "He had a genuinely amazing relationship with his mother. He’s bereft right now."
Andrew has reportedly become an "enthusiastic binge-watcher of TV box sets" and bought a £220,000 Bentley Flying Spur, which he has sprayed "racing green". He and Sarah have also recently purchased a £5million mews house in Mayfair. The Telegraph reports that he does not receive taxpayer funding except for bodyguards, but he employs a chef, housekeeper, personal assistants and other staff.
"Since his Royal Navy pension appears to pay him £20,000 a year, he likely lives on the proceeds of the £15million purchase of Sunninghill by a Kazakh billionaire in 2007 – and the sale of the Yorks’ £18million chalet in the Swiss Alps," the newspaper reports. The Duke is not thought to be working after his charitable and other interests — including his Dragons’ Den-style Pitch@Palace initiative — were wound down in the wake of the Epstein scandal.
His daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are understood to be regular visitors to Royal Lodge. Andrew reportedly spends a lot of time with his grandchildren, Beatrice’s daughter Sienna and Eugenie’s son August, both aged one. You can read more stories about the royal family here.
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