Disgraced Prince Andrew spends his weekends teaching granddaughter Sienna, 3, posh hobby after Beatrice’s ‘concerns’
HIS life has taken a dramatic turn since that Newsnight interview.
Once a fixture at A-list parties and known for his indulgence in the finer things, Prince Andrew now finds himself largely confined to the Royal Lodge, a 30-bedroom mansion on the Windsor estate, which he shares with his former wife Sarah Ferguson.
There, he spends his days, far removed from the high-profile lifestyle he once led.
And with all that spare time, the Duke of York now spends his weekends teaching his granddaughter Sienna Mapelli-Mozzi, three, to take the reins as she learns to ride.
Learning to ride a horse from a young age is a tradition that the royal children have followed over the decades since Queen Elizabeth did so at the same age.
The scandal-hit Duke of York, 64, is often pictured spending his days riding around the estate, and more recently he was seen being nearly thrown off the horse.
It is believed that the Prince now leans on “protective” Princess Beatrice, 36, and Princess Eugenie, 34.
A source told Hello! Magazine: “The girls take the grandchildren to visit him most weekends.
“They are spending far more time with him now than they have done in recent years.
“They are quite close to their father; they seem to be quite protective towards him.”
Both Princesses are said to have kept up with another tradition of the late Queen Elizabeth, by hosting friends for shoots on the estate in recent weeks.
This is just like what the Queen used to do before her passing, and that was regularly put on gatherings for her grandchildren.
Prince Andrew’s change in life circumstances have encouraged him to spend more time with his daughters who are juggling their careers, as well as stepping out to support the King and Prince of Wales, when required.
And when Andrew isn’t spending time with the family or horseriding himself, he likes to play golf, or when Sarah, Duchess of York, is home, he’ll walk their five Norfolk Terriers and two of the late Queen’s Corgis around the land of the £30 million estate.
Royal author Robert Hardman told HELLO!’s Right Royal Podcast: “He’s got nothing else, he’s got no public life, he has no public role.
“He is clearly devoted to this home and he likes being there, so if he can make it work, he’s going to try.”
The Prince has mysteriously found enough cash to pay for his security at Royal Lodge and manage to prevent himself from eviction.
And despite the King trying to push him out, The Sun revealed that Andrew is personally paying for a cut-price security deal to remain at his royal home.
He also lost his annual £3million-a-year hand-out from His Majesty which funded guards at Windsor’s Royal Lodge.
Inside Prince Andrew's 'crumbling' Royal Lodge
THE disgraced Duke of York resides at the £30million Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Berkshire - at least for now.
King Charles has redoubled his efforts to evict the Duke – with insiders branding the stand-off the “siege of Royal Lodge“.
Despite his divorce from Sarah Ferguson in 1996, Prince Andrew lives with his ex-wife at the countryside estate.
Prince Andrew‘s royal residence, with its eye-catching white exterior, boasts 30 rooms with plenty of space for entertaining, plus seven bedrooms spread across the two topmost floors.
The Duke of York is said to spend all day “watching TV in a dark room” like a prisoner at his “crumbling” home.
Royal Lodge is said to “need extensive repairs”, thought to be about £400,000 a year.
The monarch is said to be becoming increasingly frustrated at Andrew’s refusal to care for the colossal mansion.
Andrew is said to have promised King Charles he would take care of its expensive repairs – despite having no apparent source of income.