King Charles is making the most of a quiet retreat from busy London life with his winter break to the royal Sandringham estate in Norfolk. On 7 January, the official Instagram account for the estate shared a new set of photos, revealing the beautiful snow-covered gardens.
"There was something truly enchanting about The Sandringham Gardens covered in a blanket of snow," the caption read. There are 60 acres of beautiful gardens at Sandringham, which are currently closed for the royal family to enjoy, but open to the public from March to October.
The garden featured in the new photos was the Topiary Garden, which was added in 2023 to provide a place of peace and contemplation for visitors. "Reflecting the same principles of universal symbolism as the Cosmati Pavement in Westminster Abbey, the Topiary Garden is designed to increase biodiversity, featuring new species of plants and flowers that are also better able to withstand the impact of emerging weather patterns," the estate states.
Charles revives the Sandringham gardens
The Sandringham gardens (which also include the North End Garden) are a thing of beauty, and that is all thanks to Charles himself. The gardens were beautiful at the start of the 20th century, but they were abandoned 50 years later. In 2017, the then-Prince of Wales took on the mammoth task of reviving the space, having taken over the estate management during that year.
This renovation put Charles' sustainable mindset on full display as he replaced its agriculture with organic processes and adopted agroforestry, a type of land management that integrates trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems.
© GettyElsewhere on the Sandringham estate, there is the 100-plus-room Sandringham House (open to the public from April to October), as well as the St Mary Magdalene Church (where the royals attend the annual Christmas Day service), a cafe, and a children's play area.
Sandringham set for a new resident
Though King Charles only stays at Sandringham seasonally (his main residence is with Queen Camilla at Clarence House in London), the estate is set for a new, permanent residence. The disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is set to move there once he leaves Royal Lodge in Windsor, his home since 2004.
The move follows Andrew being stripped of his royal titles and honours following renewed links to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Royal author Robert Jobson told us of Andrew's move: "The royals are hoping to draw a line under the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor controversy in 2026. He is expected to move out of his Royal Lodge home in Windsor for a more modest property on the King's private Sandringham estate.
© WireImage"Whether it ends the lurid speculation about him, only time will tell; however, it is doubtful."He is expected to swap his Royal Lodge home for a more modest property on the King's private Sandringham estate, widely tipped to be Wood Farm, the five-bedroom cottage where his late father, Prince Philip, spent his retirement years.
In terms of when Andrew will move, the former prince is certainly in no hurry to pack up and leave Windsor. Robert Jobson exclusively revealed to us: "Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor seems to be kicking his heels. The disgraced royal has made it clear to the King and courtiers who sent him packing that he is going nowhere fast.
© Getty"Despite formal notice being served in October to surrender his Royal Lodge lease, he won't budge until February at the earliest, suggesting he will spend Christmas at Royal Lodge while the King invites the rest of his close family to Sandringham."
