Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor‘s links to Jeffery Epstein have cost him his royal titles and his royal residence, as he’s set to move out of Royal Lodge in early 2026. It’s also left his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, seeking alternative accommodation and there’s another disappointing blow, this time for his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Growing up at Royal Lodge in Windsor, the sisters benefited from the gorgeous mansion and the sprawling grounds. Within the garden lies an iconic piece of royal history – a giant playhouse made originally for Queen Elizabeth II when she was a child. This is something that has been used throughout the generations and there’s no doubt Beatrice and Eugenie’s children, Sienna, Athena, August and Ernest, also enjoyed playing with it, but now with Andrew’s eviction, who knows if they will ever be able to play inside again.
© Print CollectorThe impressive feature is located at Royal Lodge
At present, it is unclear what will happen to the structure, whether it will remain at Royal Lodge or relocate elsewhere. It has been reported that there have been calls to return it to Wales, but there is no information to suggest that this will happen. Historian Dr Elin Jones told the BBC: “It could be argued that the best place for this little cottage… might be for it to come back to Wales and go to St Fagans as part of the history of our country.
“The house is an interesting expression of the loyalty felt by Welsh people towards the Royal family for centuries.”
In 1932, when the Queen was just six years old, the people of Wales gifted her an incredible life-sized playhouse complete with running water, electricity, a fully functioning kitchen and bathroom, and a living room and bedroom. It is called “Y Bwthyn Bach”, which translates to “the little cottage”. The then Princess Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret were photographed a lot playing with the extraordinary feature, and young King Charles has been snapped playing in it, too.
Beatrice on ‘granny’s Wendy house’
© Print CollectorA young Queen Elizabeth standing by Y Bwthyn Bach, the playhouse given to her by the people of Wales
The Queen’s granddaughter, Beatrice, previously spoke out about her experience at the playhouse during her childhood, and even helped to renovate it in 2012. “Granny and her sister played here growing up and we’ve been lucky enough to play here with cousins and second cousins and it’s a big family treat,” she told Andrew Marr on the documentary The Diamond Queen.
“It’s the most glamorous wendy house ever, but it’s really beautiful and what you’re seeing now is after a year’s renovation process. It’s been completely rethatched, new curtains, new wiring, a bit of a spruce up really! All the little china and glass was created especially for the house.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince Charles playing in the sweet house
“It’s such a little house that she wanted little flowers and patterns. It’s beautiful. I’ve been lucky enough to play here and now Granny’s a great-granny, so now the great-grandchildren can enjoy it too.”
LISTEN: Royal biographer reveals Sarah Ferguson ‘is not great’ following Royal Lodge eviction
In my five years writing about celebrity and royal homes for HELLO!, I’ve seen some seriously impressive home and garden features for children, but nothing comes close to this incredible Wendy house – that’s basically a fully fledged property!
Where is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor going to live?
© WireImageAndrew Mountbatten Windsor is set to move out of Royal Lodge soon
HELLO! understands that Andrew will move to a property on the Sandringham Estate, as this estate is privately owned by the monarch. The Folly and Gardens House, two options listed as potential future homes for His Majesty’s disgraced brother, are currently listed as rental properties, meaning members of the public can go and stay.
York Cottage appears to be a more likely candidate for Andrew to move into. Historic England explains that the property is located around a quarter of a mile from the estate’s main house, it features its own set of stables and kennel buildings and overlooks one of the two man-made lakes on Sandringham. Perhaps a perfectly secluded spot for Andrew to lie low. HELLO!’s Royal Editor Emily Nash noted in her newsletter on The HELLO! Royal Club: “His day-to-day life may not actually look all that different from that at Windsor, given he has been living largely out of the public eye since 2019. Andrew has often been seen out riding in recent years, and that’s something he could easily continue at Sandringham, which is home to the Royal Stud.”