Prince Andrew has been spotted out on the Windsor estate this morning riding a horse after returning from the royals’ annual Balmoral break with the feud over his Royal Lodge home continuing

A glum-looking Prince Andrew has been spotted as the row over his Royal Lodge home rumbles on.

The Duke of York was seen riding a horse with a companion in Windsor Great Park today just days after returning back to his home following the royals’ annual Balmoral break. He failed to crack a smile as he completed his ride wearing a burgundy jumper and was also seen driving a Range Rover back to his home

His appearance comes just weeks after it was reported he could finally be forced to leave his Windsor home by October as his private security has been axed.

Andrew is often seen out horse riding ( 
Image:
© Jim Bennett)

Andrew has recently returned from Balmoral ( 
Image:
© Jim Bennett)

It was reported that King Charles had decided to lay off the property’s 10-man team to put more pressure on the Duke of York to leave the home. Charles has been funding ­private guards at the Windsor property ever since Andrew’s armed cops were removed in 2022. Hehas lived at the 31-room property in 98 acres of grounds on the Windsor estate, for more than 20 years after signing a 75-year lease. He is based there with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and his friends say that due to his lease, he has no reason to give up the residence.

But he may soon be forced to leave the house with Charles reportedly telling the security team they are no longer needed at the lodge once their contract ends in the autumn. A Palace insider weighed in on the issue saying that “it isn’t a secret that the King wants him out” after reports that the Duke of York has become a “bit of a recluse”.

Prince Andrew with older brother King Charles ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

The insider told The Sun: “Everyone is speculating this means the Duke will have to leave the Royal Lodge because what other reason could there be to take his security away? They are all working the final weeks of their contract till the end of October. It’s not thought anyone is being lined up to replace them.”

Andrew is understood to have told the King that he intends to ‘see out’ the 55 years left on a lease he signed at the £30million mansion two decades ago, despite being encouraged to move into the nearby Frogmore Cottage, which is currently vacant after being home to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

With no royal duties to perform since being stripped of his honorary titles and patronages in 2022, the 64-year-old Duke is now reported to be occupying his time with a few select hobbies, including horse riding around Windsor Castle mews and playing golf. But one more recent hobby – watching live plane traffic from around the world on a projector screen – is a little more unusual.

Royal correspondent Richard Kay wrote in the Daily Mail: “The one-time helicopter pilot – commended for his bravery in the Falklands War flying decoy missions to draw Argentine missiles away from the ships of the British task force – is able to watch flights landing and taking off at airports all over the globe. According to a visitor to Royal Lodge, the prince has become obsessed with the app beloved of planespotter nerds.”

Andrew faces mounting costs in his efforts to try and stay put at Royal Lodge, and he has also been forced to meet the upkeep costs of the 19th-century Grade II listed house, including a recent bill of £200,000 for roof repairs.