Andrew moves out of Royal Lodge - as police assess new allegation

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has moved out of Royal Lodge, palace sources have said - as police assess claims that a woman was sent to the former duke by Jeffrey Epstein in 2010.

Andrew's move is part of a permanent move to Norfolk, which may take some time, according to Sky's royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills.

He is now living in a house on Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, which is seen as temporary accommodation.

There will be a further move in the coming months once final arrangements have been made.

The palace had announced last October that the King had started the process of removing the style, title and honours of the former prince after the Epstein-linked allegations against him had started to "distract" from the Royal Family's work.

Andrew had lived at Royal Lodge, a 30-room mansion on the Windsor Estate, for more than 20 years.

It emerged he had been paying a "peppercorn rent" - a legal term used to show that rent technically exists, so the lease is valid, but it's nominal - often £1 a year or even nothing at all.

It comes as police assess a claim that a woman was sent by Epstein to Andrew at Royal Lodge in 2010.

The encounter allegedly took place when the woman was in her 20s, her lawyer told the BBC earlier this week.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: "We are aware of reports about a woman said to have been taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes.

"We are assessing the information in line with our established procedures. We take any reports of sexual crimes extremely seriously and encourage anyone with information to come forward.

"At this time, these allegations have not been reported to Thames Valley Police by either the lawyer or their client."

Andrew has not commented on the latest claims but has previously denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein.

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Last year Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson agreed they would leave the property in exchange for two separate residences.

Andrew previously faced accusations of sexual misconduct from Virginia Giuffre.

He made a financial payment to her in an out-of-court settlement in 2022 after Ms Giuffre had launched a civil case against him.

Andrew has vehemently denied the allegations involving Ms Giuffre, who took her own life in April last year.

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