Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been spotted smiling near his farmhouse in Sandringham after it was revealed Prince Edward and Sophie had to use a ‘holiday let’ because he refused to leave the property.
Andrew has been staying in Wood Farm, his temporary home until his permanent move to Marsh Farm, since his eviction from Royal Lodge in February over his links to paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
Edward and Sophie had planned to use Wood Farm for their Easter break, but were instead forced to stay in a cottage on the Sandringham Estate.
The couple regularly book the property for their annual getaway, but this year stayed in Gardens House because Andrew was ‘reluctant to leave’ the Norfolk bolthole.
This afternoon, the former Duke of York was pictured driving his Range Rover towards Wood Farm, which costs up to £4,110 a week in the high season.
The disgraced royal was seen smiling behind the wheel as he made his way along a country track, donning a pale shirt and navy jumper.
His brother Edward, 62, who is four years younger than Andrew, became the first royal to pay a visit to his sibling since he began his exile in Norfolk two months ago.
The Duke reportedly had a ‘quiet word’ with Andrew, who is understood to be dragging his heels at his temporary accommodation.
A source told The Sun: ‘Andrew was evicted from Royal Lodge at Windsor but now has two homes at his disposal.
‘He is just going back and forth between Wood Farm and Marsh Farm.
‘It’s got to be sorted as Edward and Sophie like to use Wood Farm.’
Gardens House was once home to the estate’s head gardener. The eight-bedroom home is 300 yards from the main Sandringham House, which is open to visitors at this time of year.
On Thursday, Andrew got two other visitors in the form of members of the public trying to climb his fence.
Security concerns were sparked when a red car pulled up outside Andrew’s new permanent home at Marsh Farm on Thursday.
Two people got out and proceeded to scale the exterior gate before attempting to peer over a newly erected 6ft fence in front of the farmhouse.
Pictures showed a man and a girl standing on top of the gate while trying to catch a glimpse inside the property, which is undergoing renovation works ahead of Andrew’s move in the coming weeks.
But they didn’t stay for long as Andrew’s security was quick to react and defused the situation before the pair jumped back in their car and drove off.
Andrew appeared to spend that afternoon at his new house and was seen meeting up with the Sandringham estate manager, Edward Parsons.
Builders have been working flat out to get the property ready for Andrew, fitting luxury carpets, a Sky dish and a fast broadband connection.
Over the past weeks, hundreds of boxes of his belongings have been delivered to the new home, with his move now said to be ‘imminent’.
The disgraced ex-Duke, who has been accused of leaking secrets to Jeffrey Epstein, remained in Norfolk over Easter and did not attend the Royal Family’s traditional service at Windsor this year.
He has been keeping a low profile in Norfolk since his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in a public office on his 66th birthday on February 19.
The Daily Mail has contacted the palace and Andrew’s representatives for comment.
