In November 2025, the man who had been known for 65 years as Prince Andrew formally lost his titles and the right to be styled His Royal Highness. For the past six months, the one-time second-in-line to the throne has been living in ignominious internal exile, first at Royal Lodge on the Royal estate at Windsor, before downgrading to the rather less salubrious Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk in April.
Now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor seems to be living a solitar life, says royal author Andrew Lownie. Lownie, whose book Entitled kickstarted Andrew’s downfall, says the former prince has now “lost any sort of purpose in life.”
Speaking to the Palace Confidential podcast, Lownie explains that Andrew, always more engaged with technology than most other royals, has lost himself in the world of videogame since stepping down from his role as a working royal.
“I think he’s someone who needs a discipline,” Lownie said. “I think the services were good for him. There was a focus there and and a discipline.” Without that structure, he adds, Andrew tends to drift through his days playing on flight simulators.
“He’s absolutely fascinated by simulations of planes landing – going back to his pilot training,” Lownie revealed, adding that the former Duke of York also whiles away many hours playing first-person combat game Call of Duty.
View 3 ImagesOne of Mountbatten-Windsor’s few outdoor pursuits in recent months has been horse-riding(Image: Shutterstock)
There was conflict in Mountbatten-Windsor’s real life when on May 6 he was confronted by a stranger as he walked his dogs on the Sandringham Estate. A Norfolk Police spokesperson said a man had been arrested at the scene: “Officers were called to Wolferton shortly after 7.30pm yesterday (Wednesday 6 May 2026) following a report a man was behaving in an intimidating manner in the village.
“Officers attended, and the man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and possession of an offensive weapon. He was taken to King’s Lynn Police Investigation Centre for questioning and remains in custody.”
The man, later identified as 39-year-old Alex Jenkinson, has been charged with two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to harass someone or cause alarm or distress. One of the charges relates to a separate alleged incident on the previous day.
View 3 ImagesMountbatten-Windsor was questioned by police on his birthday (Image: REUTERS)
Jenkinson, currently released on conditional bail, Has been ordered not to enter the county of Norfolk, not to contact Mountbatten-Windsor, either directly or indirectly, not to approach or attempt to approach him, and not to travel to within 500m of the five major royal estates.
Mountbatten-Windsor however, rarely leaves Sandringham and is rarely seen in public. He’s occasionally spotted on horseback near Marsh Farm but now, given his comparatively income, his days of extravagant globetrotting seem to be over for good.
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Mountbatten-Windsor, whose loss of rank and privilege stems from his association with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing.