Prince Andrew 'Sneaked In and Sneaked Out' at Sandringham Trials

He kept to the trees, left before the crowds noticed, and drove himself home in a Land Rover without a word to anyone. For Prince Andrew, that apparently counts as a public outing these days — and on Sunday it was his first in nearly nine months.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, was spotted attending the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials on the King's estate on 28th June, where his sister-in-law Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, was competing. It marked his first appearance in the public eye since the funeral of the Duchess of Kent in September 2025 — and by all accounts, he was determined to keep it that way.

Onlookers said Andrew watched Sophie's morning round from a secluded spot away from the main arena, sheltering under the cover of trees rather than mingling with the general public. He left almost immediately after she finished her section of the SanDrivingHam Challenge — a competition that tests the skill of the driver, groom, and passengers across four sections including a stand show, figure of eight, and a set route drive.

Sophie, 61, stayed on for the afternoon and was later seen handing out prizes to the event's winners. Her husband, Prince Edward, was also present and was spotted cheering her on before leaving shortly after Andrew. Edward was not seen interacting directly with his brother, though the two are believed to have been staying in close proximity — Edward and Sophie reportedly at Wood Farm, the King's residence on the estate, and Andrew at his permanent home, Marsh Farm.

The Sandringham Horse Driving Trials have a long royal history, having been founded in 1982 by Prince Philip, who was passionate about the sport. Both Sophie and the couple's daughter Lady Louise have kept that tradition alive in recent years — though Louise did not attend this year's event.

Sunday's brief appearance offers a rare glimpse of Andrew's drastically reduced life since the beginning of 2026. He was evicted from Royal Lodge in February and relocated to Sandringham, where he has largely remained out of sight amid the deepening fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Just days after the move, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office — a development that sent shockwaves through the royal establishment.

Since then, he has been banned from horse riding on the King's estate and has kept an almost entirely private existence at Marsh Farm. His isolation has been striking even by the standards of his already-diminished royal profile: King Charles, who has visited Sandringham several times this year, is not believed to have called on his brother. Neither of Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice nor Princess Eugenie, are understood to have visited. His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson was recently reported to be staying at a luxury spa in Austria.

Edward became the first member of the Royal Family known to have seen Andrew in person when he visited over the Easter weekend — making Sunday's joint appearance at the horse trials, however low-key, a notable moment in what has otherwise been a period of near-total royal estrangement.

Reports earlier this month noted that Andrew had been seen with a bruise on his face, though this is understood to be a side effect of medication such as blood thinners rather than any fall or incident. Separate claims that he had secretly flown to France on a private jet as the guest of a UAE billionaire have been reported to be untrue.

For now, Sunday's quiet appearance — slipping in under the trees, watching Sophie ride, and slipping out again before most people clocked he was there — appears to be as public as Andrew intends to get. Whether that changes as the legal and personal pressures of his situation continue to unfold remains to be seen. Follow the latest Royal Family news for updates.