Renovation and maintenance work on the new home of British Prince Andrew is in full swing, as he is set to be evicted from Royal Lodge before his 66th birthday next month. The disgraced prince was forced to re-lease his home in Windsor Estate after being stripped of his 'Prince' and 'Duke' titles last October due to his association with controversial American businessman Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, workers have begun renovating the dilapidated Marsh Farm in Sandringham, while six-foot wooden fences have been erected around the property for security and privacy. A digger was seen at the farm, while electricians were working to make the farm habitable for the former prince, including installing surveillance cameras to enhance security. At least six workers were seen entering the separate property, and a security company truck was also spotted on the farm. Prince Andrew, the son of Queen Elizabeth II, will move to a smaller temporary property on a farm in Norfolk at the end of this month, before his birthday on February 19, according to The Sun newspaper. He is expected to stay there until Easter, the scheduled completion date for the work at Marsh Farm. A source at the royal palace said: 'Snow or rain has not delayed the work on the farm, but it still needs a lot of attention to make it habitable.' They added: 'The only thing for sure is that it is much smaller and less luxurious than (Royal Lodge).' It is believed Andrew was keen to move to Wood Farm, a five-bedroom house where his father Prince Philip spent his retirement, but there was some controversy over whether it was 'too close' to the rest of the family. Instead, Andrew will move to Marsh Farm, which is located two miles west of Sandringham House and has been vacant for years. Rent-Free Exemption It is known that the farm and its surrounding buildings were previously used by a tenant who died some time ago. The Daily Mail recently revealed that Royal Lodge was inspected by officials only once during the 22 years Andrew lived there without paying rent. When the lease for the 30-room house was signed in 2003, it included unique terms that did not include the word 'rent', but instead included a schedule for renewal and maintenance. The disgraced prince paid eight million pounds to repair the dilapidated property at the time and promised to allow inspectors to enter 'at all reasonable times' to ensure he was taking care of it. In return, the property's owner (the independent Crown Estate company, which manages royal assets on behalf of taxpayers) allowed Andrew not to pay rent for the entire 75-year lease term. No official from Crown Estate inspected Royal Lodge while Andrew was in the house, raising concerns about a 'sweetheart deal' at taxpayers' expense. It is worth noting that Andrew still lives in Royal Lodge with his wife, Sarah Ferguson, while the work is being completed before their move.
