Andrew Mountbatten Windsor — the pompous royal formerly known as prince — is desperate to flee Great Britain with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, sources say, following a new shameful claim that he once entertained 40 hookers in a ritzy hotel in Thailand during a taxpayer-funded trip.
“They would rather be treated like royalty abroad than subjects at home,” an insider confides.
The biographer explains, “Andrew is representing his country and insists on staying in a five-star hotel rather than the embassy. Andrew had 40 prostitutes brought in the space of four days. This was all enabled by diplomats and others.”
Lownie insists the sex worker claim was verified by multiple sources — including a member of the Thai royal family.
The shocking story emerged as Buckingham Palace announced that the former Duke of York, 65, was ordered to vacate his crown-owned home Royal Lodge, where he and Fergie, 66, have lived together for decades, and was being stripped of his honors and titles, including that of prince.
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The ruthless move was made as public outrage grows over Andrew and Sarah’s links to dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
According to the palace, a residence is earmarked for Andrew at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, which is privately owned by his brother King Charles.
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However, sources say the disgraced ex-duke and Sarah, who lost her Duchess of York title, are now investigating a move overseas instead of languishing in a modest home as commoners.
“They’ve had enough of being shamed, sidelined and surveilled,” says a senior palace aide. “They truly believe their only option is to leave.”
Those close to the pair, who divorced in 1996, believe there is no hope for their redemption among Britain’s snooty set.
A royal insider says of Andrew, “He’s persona non grata completely with his country’s high society crowd.”
“I would say even his dearest friends who would always go shooting with him, I don’t think they want much to do with him.”
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Another source says aside from Sarah and Andrew’s children — Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35 — and their grandkids, there’s not a lot to keep the onetime duchess in the U.K. and says, “Put it this way, the invitations have dried up overnight.”
Sources say discreet intermediaries have been dispatched to scout villas in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), estates in Portugal’s Golden Triangle and fortified compounds in Switzerland.
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A senior aide says, “Andrew is stupid enough to fly to Russia if its president, Vladimir Putin, offers him a prince title and gives him a palace.”
Meanwhile, another insider says, “Sarah thinks she’s being punished simply for standing by her man.”
“She can’t breathe without someone whispering Epstein. It’s humiliating and constant.”
As the National Enquirer previously reported, Andrew established connections with wealthy global power players during his trade envoy stint from 2001 to 2011.
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Yet sources say Andrew may very well escape to an opulent palace in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi, which was offered by the Middle Eastern nation’s president Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his former classmate at Gordonstoun School.
Lownie says the luxe $13 million digs in the UAE royal complex known as Sea Palace would be “perfect” for Andrew.
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The historian explains, “He would be happy living somewhere where the media is muzzled, where he will still be treated as a senior royal and where he can easily live under the radar.”
However, royal expert Rob Shuter — former publicist to Princess Michael of Kent — warns, “Inside Britain, Andrew can never rebuild. Overseas, he risks becoming a ghost prince — easily flattered, easily compromised and dangerous to the crown.”
“Andrew’s identity is royalty. Strip that away, and he will burn the world to feel important again.”