Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor feels he is “living in limbo” while police continue investigating his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, according to friends.
The former Duke of York has been staying at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk since being removed from Royal Lodge in Windsor and arrested on February 19.
Andrew was arrested on the morning of his 66th birthday over allegations that he leaked sensitive information to Epstein while serving as a British trade envoy between 2001 and 2011.
Friends say he is “making the most” of his new life in Norfolk and feels some relief at having left the Windsor “bubble”.
Earlier this month, a Republican congressman accused Andrew of committing sex crimes in the United States.
Thomas Massie made the allegation during a speech in the House of Representatives, saying: “We want the perpetrators of these crimes to be investigated and prosecuted.”
Andrew has denied committing any sexual offences.
Mr Massie was speaking during an attempt to compel the US government to publish unreleased material from the Epstein files. Some portions of the documents have been released under President Donald Trump’s administration, but many passages remain heavily redacted.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is said to feel he is “living in limbo” as police continue investigating his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein
Andrew was photographed leaving Aylsham police station in Norfolk in February after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office
A source close to the former prince told The Telegraph: “While Andrew remains under investigation after being arrested by Thames Valley Police seven months ago, he has effectively been living in limbo.”
Although he is not subject to formal restrictions, the source said Andrew “cannot live his normal life” and is unable to “stray far beyond his home”.
The source added: “In the meantime, Thames Valley Police seems to be no nearer being able to prove an allegation of misconduct in a public office, for which Andrew was detained back in February.”
The US Department of Justice is reportedly delaying the investigation into Andrew by refusing to release key unredacted documents from the Epstein files.
Andrew has reportedly had no contact with Thames Valley Police since his initial arrest. He is also said not to have spoken to his brother, King Charles, for some time, although he remains in contact with his siblings Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
Thames Valley Police said in May that it was expanding the investigation to include allegations of sex trafficking.
Andrew is alleged to have shared information such as reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore, along with a confidential briefing on investment opportunities linked to the reconstruction of Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
The investigation is understood to be receiving resources comparable to those assigned to a major crime inquiry, with specialist sexual offence investigators included in the team.
However, the case took an unexpected turn in August when an unnamed woman who reportedly alleged that she spent a night with Andrew in Windsor after Epstein flew her to Britain for sex was said to have reconsidered giving evidence against him.
The Mail on Sunday reported in May that the woman did not want to “risk losing her privacy” by filing a formal complaint with detectives investigating the trafficking allegations.
But her American lawyer, Bradley Edwards, said this month his client had gone from a ‘hard no’ to a ‘maybe’ in assisting the criminal case.
Andrew pictured leaning over an unidentified woman in an image from the Epstein files
The woman says she was in her 20s when, at Epstein’s request, she spent a night with Andrew at Royal Lodge in Windsor in 2010. It is alleged she was also given a tour of Buckingham Palace and tea afterwards.
Mr Edwards said he had spoken to British police about interviewing his client in the US, but nothing had been agreed.
He added: ‘She has gone from a hard no to a maybe. Her main concern is to protect her child and she doesn’t want her kid being harassed.
‘If those issues can be addressed it could happen. She is thinking about it. I think she should testify because what happened was wrong. But I’m not going to push her. It has to be her choice.’
Mr Edwards, who has represented more than 200 alleged Epstein victims, previously sued Andrew on behalf of the late Ms Giuffre, who alleged she had sex at 17 with the former duke of York in London, New York and on Epstein’s Caribbean island.
Andrew settled for a reported £12million before the case went to trial but did not admit liability.
He has always denied any allegations of wrongdoing.