EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Windsor Twiddling His Knobs — How Exiled Ex-Prince is 'Pouring Out His Rage By Obsessively Playing Brutal War Game in Hiding'
Andrew Windsor is retreating deeper into isolation at Sandringham as he copes with his royal downfall.
May 15 2026, Published 4:53 p.m. ET
Andrew Windsor is retreating deeper into isolation at Sandringham, spending long stretches immersed in military-style video games and flight simulators as the disgraced former prince struggles to cope with life after his dramatic royal downfall.
As RadarOnline.com reported, the 66-year-old younger brother of King Charles, 77, officially lost the right to use his HRH title in November 2025 after years of scandal surrounding his association with convicted s-- offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Prince Andrew's Secret Sandringham Retreat
Andrew Windsor retreated deeper into isolation at the Sandringham estate.
Following his humiliating royal exile, Windsor spent several months secluded at Royal Lodge in Windsor before recently relocating to Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk – a far quieter and less prestigious setting far removed from his life at the $40million Royal Lodge.
Royal author Andrew Lownie, whose book Entitled examined the former Duke of York's downfall, claimed the disgraced royal now appears to have "lost any sort of purpose in life."
He said: "I think he's someone who needs discipline. I think the (time in the armed) services (was) good for him. There was a focus there and a discipline."
Obsessed With Flight Simulators
The disgraced royal played video games and flight simulators to escape his reality.
According to Lownie, without such structure, Windsor has increasingly retreated into technology and simulation games – passions that connect back to his military background and pilot training.
"He's absolutely fascinated by simulations of planes landing," Lownie said, adding the former royal also spends extensive periods playing the first-person shooter game Call of Duty.
One source familiar with Windsor's current lifestyle also told us: "The scale of Andrew's fall has left him living an extraordinarily isolated and diminished life compared to the world he occupied for decades as a senior royal.
"This was somebody who once moved constantly between palaces, international tours, elite dinners and private meetings with presidents, diplomats and billionaires, and now his entire routine revolves around a very limited existence inside Sandringham with only a handful of aides, protection officers and close staff around him.
"He now spends huge amounts of time absorbed in flight simulators and military combat games because they allow him to mentally reconnect with periods of his life when he still felt respected, useful and important.
"His naval background and pilot training were among the few things that genuinely gave him discipline and confidence, so there's almost a nostalgic comfort for him in disappearing into those virtual worlds where he can relive elements of that structure and control."
Living In Isolation After Royal Fall
The state charged suspect Alex Jenkinson with two counts of threatening behavior.
The insider added: "For someone who once enjoyed all the privileges and prestige that came with being at the center of royal life, the contrast with his current reality is almost surreal. Andrew's social world has shrunk dramatically, and there's a strong feeling among those around him that he now hides from public life because he knows his reputation has been permanently destroyed.
"These games and simulations he loves have become a form of emotional escape for him. In those fantasy environments, he can temporarily forget the humiliation, scandal and public hostility that define his real-world image now. It's almost as though he's retreating into controlled digital scenarios because they feel safer and more manageable than facing the reality of what his life has become."
Windsor's increasingly secluded life was briefly disrupted earlier this month after an alarming incident near Sandringham. Norfolk Police confirmed officers were called to Wolferton shortly after 7.30pm on May 6 following reports of a man behaving in an intimidating manner while the former prince was walking his dogs.
A police spokesperson said: "Officers attended, and the man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and possession of an offensive weapon."
The suspect, later identified as 39-year-old Alex Jenkinson, has since been charged with two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior to harass someone or cause alarm or distress. One charge reportedly relates to an alleged incident the previous day.
Jenkinson has been released on conditional bail and ordered not to enter Norfolk, contact Mountbatten-Windsor directly or indirectly, or travel within 500 meters of five major royal estates.
Sandringham Security Scare Deepens Royal Anxiety
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The confrontation shook Mountbatten-Windsor and intensified his reclusive behavior.
Another royal insider claimed the confrontation further deepened Mountbatten-Windsor's withdrawal from public life.
They said: "Andrew was already living with a huge amount of humiliation, anxiety and distrust after years of public scandal and the complete collapse of his reputation, so incidents like this have only intensified his instinct to shut himself away from the outside world even further.
"The feeling among people around him is that he's become deeply wary of strangers, public encounters and any situation where he could face confrontation, ridicule or hostility.
"Since being pushed out of royal life, he's become increasingly reclusive and withdrawn. There are long stretches where he barely leaves Sandringham at all unless there's an unavoidable reason to do so, and most of his days are spent indoors away from public view.
"Friends say he's painfully aware that he went from being one of the most recognizable and privileged members of the royal family to somebody many people now associate almost entirely with scandal and disgrace, and that has left him carrying enormous embarrassment.
"The confrontation near Sandringham really shook him because it reinforced the idea that even in isolation, he still can't fully escape the anger and notoriety surrounding him. People close to Andrew think he now feels safest living almost completely hidden away inside controlled environments where he can avoid public scrutiny as much as possible."
