The Royal Lodge: What Prince Andrew And Sarah Ferguson's Home Really Looks Like

Prince Andrew has long resided at the historic Royal Lodge, a 30-acre property situated about three miles south of Windsor Castle. He's even lived there for quite some time with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the mother of his two adult daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. As announced, he may have to move out now that his brother, King Charles, is reportedly cutting the prince's allowance, leaving Andrew no longer able to afford to maintain the massive property. The king has, instead, offered up Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's former residence, Frogmore Cottage, to Andrew now that the space no longer belongs to Harry and Meghan (per the Independent).

However, it has been reported that Andrew is in no rush to leave his longtime home of nearly two decades — in fact, Andrew is reportedly doing whatever he can to remain at the Royal Lodge. So, we're intrigued — what exactly does the prince's royal home look like inside? Join us as we explore the history of the royal lodge and what the property really looks like inside and out.

Although the Royal Lodge has the word "lodge" in its name, the property is way more luxurious than your typical lodge. Per Woman & Home, the property is considered a Grade II-listed building located in Windsor Great Park, situated just several miles from Windsor Castle, the world's largest and oldest castle that is still inhabited to this day.

The Georgian property, part of the Crown estate, consists of a stunning white, castle-like exterior. Inside are 30 rooms and a swimming pool all set on 21 acres of impressive gardens (although, according to the Independent, the property's outdoor space actually extends as far as 98 acres). Among those 30 rooms are a large drawing room (or "formal room"), a saloon, a conservatory, and seven bedrooms all situated on the top floors. Plus, the grounds surrounding the main property are home to eight additional properties separate from the main estate: the Chapel Lodge, a Gardener's Cottage, and six Lodge Cottages, as well as accommodations for palace security. A tiny cottage on the property, Y Bwthyn Bach, has a rich history, as it was first given to then-Princess Elizabeth as a young girl in 1932.

In October 2018, Sarah Ferguson gave the public a glimpse of the Royal Lodge when she shared a photo of herself all dressed up while standing in a hallway of the home. Per Hello! Magazine, the picture revealed a cream-colored carpet and green walls.

Before the Royal Lodge became Prince Andrew's official royal residence, he invested approximately £7.5 million in renovations, which included a swimming pool.

This is just one reason why Andrew has had no plans to vacate his longtime home. The other is that he signed a 75-year lease on the property. In all, he has invested much money into the Royal Lodge over the years.

However, those renovations were made many years ago, and, reportedly, the Royal Lodge is now in major need of repair. "Royal Lodge is in a terrible state and it is falling down," a source explained to The Sun. "Barely any work has gone on for two decades and people are shocked when they visit." The source went on to describe the needed repairs as extensive water damage and a new roof. Added the source, "Not only does Andrew not have the finances to bring the home up to scratch, it would be uninhabitable when the work is being carried out."

The Royal Lodge boasts a rich history. Built in the 1600s, the Royal Lodge — once known as the Lower Lodge and the Great Lodge — has been home to many members of the royal family and staff. In the mid-1700s, artist and military topographer Thomas Sandby lived at the property while serving as the Great Park's deputy ranger. After Sandby's death, park bailiff Joseph Frost took over the property. George, Prince of Wales, who later became King George IV, lived at the lodge in 1812 and entertained guests there during the Royal Ascot. Sadly, in 1830, King William IV ordered the Royal Lodge — apart from the conservatory — to be demolished and rebuilt.

According to Woman & Home, during the reign of King George VI in the 1930s, he and the Queen Mother spent many weekends at the lodge with their daughters, the late Queen Elizabeth II (then known as Princess Elizabeth) and Princess Margaret, to get away from the hustle and bustle of Buckingham Palace. Scottish educator Marion Crawford, who once served as the family's governess, had described the property by saying, "At Royal Lodge, court etiquette was forgotten, and ceremony left behind... We had all our meals together and went for picnics, and above all, we gardened."

It was also under the king's reign that the property was expanded. The lodge later became the Queen Mother's permanent home from 1952 until her 2002 death. 

In recent years, the Royal Lodge has been home to Prince Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson. However, during their marriage, they lived at Sunninghill Park in Ascot before selling the property to a billionaire who demolished the original home and built a more modern manor house on the property.

In 2004, the Royal Lodge officially became the prince's full-time residence along with that of his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Just four years later, their mother moved into the property — long known as their family home. Now, the typical exes do not live together at the same property, but this arrangement works well for the former couple, who have long been great friends as they navigated raising their two daughters together. Plus, the lodge is so large that it allows them the space to come and go as they please.

In 2021, Ferguson shed more light on her and Andrew's living situation, telling The Times, "I travel a lot and I've always been able to make wherever I am home. If I am staying in a hotel I have the same family photographs and scented candles around me." She continued, saying, "When I'm in the UK I'm lucky enough to stay at Royal Lodge." However, she neglected to label the property as her permanent residence. "I wouldn't call it my home," she explained, "as that would be presumptuous."

The outdoor gardens at the Royal Lodge are a favorite of Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie. The family has shared photos of the space to Pinterest in recent years. The lodge's outdoor space includes a terrace at the back of the house that's complete with a wooden table and two benches for the family to enjoy outdoor meals (via Hello! Magazine). Other photos shared to Pinterest show off the garden space which includes a wooden swing from the girls' childhood that is engraved with Eugenie's name. Near the swing are a couple of wooden benches, relaxing spots where the family has enjoyed sitting over the years. Tall trees provide some shade on sunny days.

The property's gardens were also once a favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, and her sister, Princess Margaret. The two were known to spend much time playing outside on the property's extensive grounds during childhood weekend getaways to the Royal Lodge.

Perhaps the most endearing feature of the Royal Lodge is a mini cottage that was given to then-Princess Elizabeth by the people of Wales for her 6th birthday. The official name of the cottage, which originally served as a playhouse for young Elizabeth, is Y Bwthyn Bach, or "the Little House."

We were dying to know what's inside, and, fortunately, Architectural Digest had the answer: The tiny cottage was outfitted with electricity, plumbing, a gas stove, and tiny oak furniture resembling pieces from inside the National Museum of Wales. We can just imagine this being a little girl's dream playhouse — one which Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, happily used over the years.

The cottage was reportedly restored in 2012 for the queen's Diamond Jubilee. Princess Beatrice is said to have managed the restoration.

With the Royal Lodge having long been the family home of Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, and their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, it is no surprise that Eugenie selected the property as the venue for the evening reception of her October 2018 wedding to Jack Brooksbank.

The day-long celebration began at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the couple's wedding ceremony. The festivities then continued for a carriage ride and a lunch reception at the Waterloo Chamber, the Grand Reception Room, and St. George's Hall inside Windsor Castle. The party continued into the evening with a private dinner held at the Royal Lodge.

The British royal family website published the official photos from the wedding. In one, Eugenie is seen smiling at her new husband upon entering the Royal Lodge. The photo displays an intricately-designed oriental rug and an elaborate crystal chandelier that hangs from the ceiling.

Social media has given the royals the opportunity to share glimpses of their everyday life with the public. Sarah Ferguson, the former duchess of York, launched a YouTube series where she and her friends read from their favorite children's books. The series is filmed at Ferguson's home, the Royal Lodge, allowing her followers to see bits of her famous historic home. 

Many episodes of the series, for example, take place inside the Royal Lodge conservatory where Ferguson can be seen sitting in the light-filled room, which features lots of plants and windows to the property's beautiful grounds. The room also includes a beverage cabinet stocked with plenty of drinks — including wine, port, and tonic water — as well as glasses and paper straws.

Thanks to Ferguson's YouTube children's book series, she's also given a glimpse of the Royal Lodge's dining room. As seen in a photo via Hello! Magazine, the warm and inviting room features concrete flooring and burnt orange walls, which pop against the white wooden double doors — a perfectly-inviting entrance for family meals.

A royal residence would not be so royal without having multiple grand living spaces, and the Royal Lodge is no exception. From our research, the home appears to have a sitting room, a drawing room, and a living room.

In a 2016 feature for Harper's Bazaar, Princess Eugenie gave her royal fans a look into her daily life with a photo shoot which took place inside the sitting room of the Royal Lodge. The room, which the magazine described as "comfy cozy," features tall ceilings with intricate moldings, massive windows letting in tons of natural light, maroon and navy oriental rugs, and dark wood antique furniture topped with vases of flowers. A personal touch is evident, with family photographs displayed throughout.

In September 2022, The U.S. Sun shared a photo of the Royal Lodge's impressive drawing room. The space features tall ceilings, crown molding, traditional furnishings, and a dark-colored rug with an intricate design. A crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling, while several large historic paintings with ornamental gold frames are displayed on the walls.

Hello! Magazine also featured a photo of Prince Andrew sitting on the couch joined by his two dogs in the property's living room, which Sarah Ferguson shared on social media when wishing him a happy birthday one year. A patterned rug is placed on top of the hardwood flooring in front of the sofa, while floor-length curtains are seen hanging from the tall windows.

Thanks to Sarah Ferguson's gracious relationship with her fans, she has offered several glimpses into her personal spaces. Shortly following her 61st birthday, she shared a video of herself to social media to thank her followers for their birthday wishes. She says to the camera (via Hello! Magazine), "Hi everybody, I just wanted to say a very quick thank you so much for all my wonderful birthday messages. 61, still redheaded."

In the video, she is seated at her dressing vanity within her bedroom. The wooden vanity features a large mirror with double wings. Decorating the vanity is a white and gold flower vase and several metal trinket dishes. The vanity is positioned near her closets which have cream-colored doors and gold handles. Dangling from the left handle appears to be a gold trinket decorated with white fringe. Behind the vanity, a lamp can be seen to fill the space with light. With the light turned on, it is evident the video was shot either during the evening hours or on a rainy day.