King Charles appears to have delivered a pointed personal message to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after reportedly staying at Sandringham without meeting his brother, despite the pair being separated by little more than a field, according to the Daily Mail.
The king, 77, had only just returned from what was widely seen as a successful diplomatic state visit to the United States. Following the trip, he retreated to Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate for some downtime.
That same property had recently been vacated by Andrew, who has since moved to another residence elsewhere on the estate.
Andrew, 66, relocated to the refurbished Marsh Farm on Easter Monday, a move marking yet another step back from royal life. His withdrawal follows the removal of his royal titles and his effective exit from official duties.
King Charles’ ‘relationship’ with Andrew
Although the king and Andrew were staying within walking distance of each other near the village of Wolferton, with just a large field separating Wood Farm and Marsh Farm, their realities could hardly be more different.
King Charles continues with his royal duties, including international engagements and diplomatic meetings.
His handling of the US state visit has been widely praised on both sides of the Atlantic.
Andrew, meanwhile, remains firmly out of the royal spotlight amid ongoing controversy linked to his association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
He has been stripped of royal privileges and is reportedly awaiting the outcome of a police investigation into suspected misconduct in public office.
Royal tensions and private concerns
The situation has reportedly caused concern within royal circles, with some, including Prince Edward, said to be worried about Andrew’s wellbeing.
According to royal sources, frustration has also grown on Andrew’s side over Royal Lodge in Windsor, his former residence. It’s believed it remains empty months after he was required to leave in February.
One source told the Daily Mail: “Andrew feels that his departure from Royal Lodge was unnecessarily hasty.
“From his perspective, it was all done to appease the baying media and didn’t need to be carried out in such a rush before his new accommodation at Marsh Farm was ready. The fact that no one else had taken occupancy of Royal Lodge is the proof of that.”
The same source added that the king’s decision not to meet Andrew, despite their close proximity at Sandringham, has only added to the strain.
They said: “Now the king is really rubbing salt into the wounds by continuing to blank Andrew, even though he’s currently staying about a 10-minute walk away across farm tracks.”
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for for comment.
Prince Edward’s ‘welfare concerns’
Last month, reports suggested Prince Edward had visited Andrew at Sandringham over Easter in what insiders described as a “brotherly welfare check” amid concerns about his mental health.
Those close to Edward have said he has been left “deeply unsettled” by recent events and is worried about his brother’s wellbeing as legal processes continue.
Now the king is really rubbing salt into the wounds by continuing to blank Andrew.
Edward has also publicly stressed the importance of focusing on victims connected to the Epstein scandal.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai earlier this year, he said: “It is all really important, always, to remember the victims and who are the victims in all this.”
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