Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was spotted for the first time since his title-stripping scandal on Monday, November 17, and his horseback riding outing on the Windsor Castle estate is said to have ruffled some royal feathers. The former prince went riding with a female groom for about 45 minutes on Monday, according to the Daily Mail, but what would've been a regular pastime for Andrew reportedly became a covert operation.
Per the publication, the former Duke of York was "smuggled out of Royal Lodge, apparently ducking out of sight in the back seat of a car, and driven straight to Windsor Castle to take out a horse from the Royal Mews." After his ride, it's understood Andrew traveled back to his home "the same way in his car to avoid detection."
On October 30, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles had stripped Andrew of his titles and honors and served him with an eviction notice to leave his longtime home, Royal Lodge. But his outing on Monday was the first proof that the former duke was still living on the Windsor estate—a move that a royal insider said was "really not a good look."
"The King won’t be happy that his brother has been photographed riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle, which after all is funded by the taxpayer," a source told the Daily Mail. And as the outlet pointed out, Prince William and Princess Kate would hardly be pleased to see him "happily riding" in Windsor.
The Wales family moved to their new "forever home," Forest Lodge, earlier this month, which is located just about a mile from Royal Lodge. "Catherine shudders at the thought of living so close to Royal Lodge while Prince Andrew is still in it," a source previously told the Mail on Sunday.
Buckingham Palace has not stated where Andrew will be living specifically, other than he will moving to a home on the Sandringham estate. The 20,000-acre property is located about a three-hour drive from Windsor and is owned privately by the monarch, making it an ideal choice for Andrew since there will be no taxpayer money involved in housing him.
"That move to Sandringham can’t come soon enough to get him away from Windsor," a royal insider told the Daily Mail.
