Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, appears to be at the center of a long-standing conflict with his brother, King Charles, over his current residence at Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Amid pressure from the king to vacate the £30 million mansion, which Andrew shares with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, speculation is mounting over the duke’s next move.
One possible option is a secluded farmhouse steeped in royal history and special memories for other members of the royal family.
The 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor has been Andrew’s home for years, but King Charles has reportedly been urging his younger brother to move out for over a year.
The dispute has intensified as the monarch seeks to streamline the royal estate. However, Andrew, who has faced financial difficulties and public scrutiny, is resisting the move.
According to reports, King Charles has threatened to cut off financial support to Andrew, leaving the Duke of York struggling to maintain the Grade II-listed property, which requires expensive upkeep.
Despite the mounting pressure, Andrew has reportedly refused multiple offers from the king, including one that would have seen him move into Frogmore Cottage, the former UK residence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Although Frogmore Cottage could have been a comfortable and more manageable option for Andrew, sources close to the Duke of York claim he “adamantly turned down” the offer.
This has left royal insiders speculating about where he could relocate. One possible alternative is Wood Farm, a smaller, more isolated cottage located on the royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
Wood Farm offers a quieter, more secluded residence, far from the public eye—an ideal solution for a royal family member seeking privacy amid the ongoing media attention.
According to public relations executive Ronn Torossian, founder of 5WPR, Wood Farm would be “a more appropriate place” for Andrew given its history and distance from London.
Wood Farm is not just any cottage—it holds a special place in the hearts of many royal family members.
Situated about two miles from the main house on the Sandringham Estate, the five-bedroom residence is tucked away in a quiet and private part of the estate, which the royal family first acquired in 1862.
The late Queen Elizabeth II often stayed there, and it was the chosen residence of her husband, Prince Philip, after he retired from public life in 2017.
For Prince Philip, Wood Farm became a peaceful retreat where he lived in his later years, away from the formalities of Buckingham Palace.
The couple maintained a close relationship, with Queen Elizabeth regularly traveling to Sandringham to visit Philip, who had chosen to live with a small, informal team of staff.
According to royal chef Darren McGrady, Wood Farm’s intimate setting allowed for daily interactions with the royals, creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
“I used to love it there. It’s so small you get to interact with them every day, rattle pans, and play with the corgis!” McGrady once wrote on Twitter.
“And when The Queen looks into the kitchen after a busy week and says ‘Thank you,’ you can’t get a bigger compliment than that.”
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Before her marriage to Prince William in 2011, Princess Kate also had a special connection to Wood Farm. She would often stay at the cottage while visiting the Sandringham Estate during her courtship with William.
Likewise, Princess Diana is said to have spent time at the farmhouse in the early 1980s, before her engagement to then-Prince Charles.
Wood Farm is not only a retreat for more senior royals but has also been a place for Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in the past.
In fact, Andrew and Fergie reportedly stayed at the cottage during their Christmas break at Sandringham in 2023, and it holds particular significance for Ferguson after her divorce from Andrew.
She was often made to stay there when she wasn’t allowed to attend the formal Christmas celebrations at the main Sandringham House, but still wanted to be near her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
As Prince Andrew continues to battle the pressures of his living situation, it remains to be seen whether Wood Farm will become his next permanent residence.
The isolation of the property would offer him and Sarah Ferguson a level of privacy that could be a welcome reprieve from the ongoing controversies that have clouded his public life.
However, given Andrew’s reluctance to leave Royal Lodge and the ongoing feud with King Charles, the move is far from certain.
With memories of both the late Queen and Prince Philip, as well as ties to Prince William, Kate, and Princess Diana, Wood Farm is more than just a royal retreat—it’s a place of deep familial connection.
Should Andrew decide to relocate there, it could offer him the peace and seclusion that he sorely needs, as well as a connection to a quieter chapter in the history of the British royal family.
