His Majesty King Charles III has travelled from his main residence in London to his gorgeous Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. HELLO! understands that the King will not be paying a visit to his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who resides at Marsh Farm on the estate. Instead, it has been said that he is in Sandringham for a few days of "private time" away from royal engagements. With temperatures soaring in London amid the UK heatwave, could it be the heat that's driven Charles out of town?
© Alamy Stock PhotoThe Met Office has said that Tuesday 26 May will be "very hot across England and Wales today". They have also revealed that Bank Holiday Monday was the "hottest UK day in May on record" with a temperature of 34.8°C recorded at Kew Gardens in the capital. London is expected to reach a scorching 35°C today, and although Norfolk is only set to be one degree behind, being out of the city and closer to the coast could be a blessing for His Majesty.
© Getty ImagesThe decision for some downtime away from London could also be a result of His Majesty's hectic schedule. In April, Charles made a state visit to the United States, where his powerful address to Congress earned many standing ovations and subsequent praise. He then jetted straight to Bermuda for his first landmark visit to a British Overseas Territory as Sovereign. Following this, we've seen the monarch host garden parties at Buckingham Palace and tour Northern Ireland alongside his wife, Queen Camilla. At 77 years old, over 10 years after the official retirement age in the UK, we're not surprised if the King requires a little rest.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's Sandringham home
© UK Press via Getty ImagesCharles' disgraced brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, now lives a solitary life on the Sandringham Estate at Marsh Farm. The former working farm, which stood empty for years, includes a main house with two reception rooms, a kitchen and several outbuildings. Ahead of Andrew moving in, the place was fully renovated with new carpets, a new security system and new fencing around for privacy.
The deeds of the property show that Queen Elizabeth II bought the property in 2013, and it passed to King Charles in 2022. It is not known if Andrew is paying anything towards rent for the five-bedroom home. Previously, the former Prince was paying a "peppercorn rent" at Royal Lodge, and he finally gave up the keys in February of this year.
© Getty ImagesAndrew's connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has long been under the spotlight, but in January, he was met with more scrutiny after a new batch of Epstein files was released by the US government, including concerns over his role as UK trade envoy.
Andrew was arrested on his 66th birthday at Wood Farm Cottage, his temporary home in Sandringham, and held in custody for 11 hours on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The investigation continues.
