Royal | News - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Prince Andrew reportedly has another hobby alongside his quiet horse rides around Windsor, which is hopefully keeping him busy as he remains an outcast from the Royal Family.
The Duke of York stepped down as a working royal in disgrace in 2019 due to his alleged connections with Jeffrey Epstein, something which he vehemently denies, and his disastrous Newsnight interview.
He remains living in Royal Lodge, his 30-room property in 98 acres of grounds on the Windsor estate, which he has lived in for over 20 years after signing a 75-year lease.
Sources have told The Sun that in the local area Andrew is believed to be somewhat of a recluse, only emerging from his home to ride his horses or play golf, something he greatly enjoys.
One said: “You used to see him going up to the stables to go riding and he’d be talking non-stop to the grooms and they’d rarely be saying anything back. You wondered what they got out of it.”
However, the Duke now prefers to avoid even going to the stables, instead choosing to ride his horses in a remote area of Windsor Great Park away from prying eyes.
Andrew remains a keen golfer, playing regularly at Swinley Forest Golf Club at Winkfield Row near Ascot, sometimes described as one of the most exclusive clubs in the UK.
He still maintains a close relationship with his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, who often accompanies him on dog walks after they inherited the late Queen Elizabeth’s two corgis to join their five Norfolk terriers.
Those inside the royal circle have countered claims that Andrew is lonely and stuck inside Royal Lodge, instead arguing that he spends a lot of quality time with friends and family.
One source said of Andrew: “He is very family-focused”, while others say Royal Lodge is constantly receiving a fair amount of visitors.
Andrew and Fergie have two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and now three grandchildren – Beatrice’s daughter Sienna and Eugenie’s sons August and Ernest.