On Thursday, November 14, 2024, Buckingham Palace dropped a quiet bombshell: Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, Duke of York, has been stripped of every royal title — an unprecedented move in over a century — but he’s allowed to keep two very special dogs: Muick and Sandy, the last Pembroke Welsh corgis bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II. The twist? He must return every single artifact from Royal Lodge, the 30-room Grade II-listed mansion tucked inside Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, England. The corgis stay. The paintings, the swords, the photographs? Gone.
What Was Taken — And What Was Left
The Royal Collection Trust, which manages over 700,000 objects held in trust for the nation, will reclaim everything that once adorned the walls and shelves of Royal Lodge. Among the most notable items being returned: a 19th-century oil painting of Eugénie, Empress of the French, wife of Napoleon III, painted by Charles Édouard Boutibonne; a series of intimate, rarely seen photographs by Cecil Beaton; and — perhaps most dramatically — an ancient ceremonial sword that became infamous after Princess Beatrice accidentally slashed British singer Ed Sheeran across the face during a 2016 party at the lodge. The scar? Still visible. Sheeran joked about it on live TV last year. Now, the sword is going back.
But here’s the odd, tender part: the corgis stay. Muick, born in 2020, and Sandy, born in 2021, were bred by Queen Elizabeth II herself. They were her last. And when she died on September 8, 2022, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, she left them in the care of Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, 65. Buckingham Palace confirmed this explicitly — contradicting rumors from Hindustan Times and iNews that the dogs were being seized. "The corgis will remain with the family," said a palace source to Hello! magazine.
"She’s Still Talking to Me"
Sarah Ferguson has been open about how deeply the dogs’ presence connects her to the late Queen. At the Creative Women Platform in London, she said, verbatim: "I have her dogs, I have her corgis. Every morning they come in and go 'woof woof' and all that and I'm sure it's her talking to me. I'm sure it's her, reminding me she's still around."
It’s not just sentiment. Ferguson told Channel 4’s Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly in 2023 that Muick, the more expressive of the two, spent nearly a year in grief after the Queen’s death. "Big Muick had his tail down to begin with," she said. "And then, a year later... he’s just beginning now to really enjoy himself." That’s a year of silence, of lowered ears, of no tail wag. Now, he’s starting to bounce again. It’s a quiet, heartbreaking metaphor for how grief lingers — even in animals bred by royalty.
Why This Matters Beyond the Dogs
King Charles III, 75, didn’t just remove Andrew’s titles. He severed his formal ties to the monarchy. Andrew, 64, must now relocate to a private residence on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk — a 20,000-acre property that’s been a royal retreat since 1862. But he won’t be taking any of the art, the silver, the furniture, or the historical documents. Everything is being inventoried under the Royal Household Regulations of 1964. This isn’t a housecleaning. It’s a legal reset.
And here’s the most telling detail: Andrew’s daughters — Princess Beatrice, 36, and Princess Eugenie, 34 — keep their royal titles. They remain working members of the family. That’s a deliberate signal. The King isn’t punishing the next generation. He’s drawing a line. Andrew’s actions — particularly the 2019 Jeffrey Epstein scandal and his subsequent loss of public trust — cost him his place. But his children? They’re still in.
The Timeline: A Year in Transition
- September 8, 2022: Queen Elizabeth II dies at Balmoral Castle. Muick and Sandy are entrusted to Andrew and Ferguson.
- 2023: Ferguson reveals Muick’s year-long mourning period on Channel 4.
- November 14, 2024: King Charles III strips Andrew of all royal titles. Royal Lodge artifacts to be returned.
- By December 31, 2024: Andrew must vacate Royal Lodge. Inventory complete.
The Royal Collection Trust will spend the next six weeks cataloging every object — from the sword to the Beaton portraits — to ensure nothing slips through. The palace has never done this with a royal family member before. It’s not just about property. It’s about symbolism. The Queen’s legacy is being preserved. Andrew’s chapter is being closed.
What Comes Next?
Andrew’s future is now private. No public engagements. No royal patronages. No royal carriage. He’ll live quietly on Sandringham, surrounded by the corgis who still carry the scent of the Queen. Ferguson has said she believes the dogs are a conduit — a living, breathing, woofing connection to the past. Maybe she’s right. But the artifacts? They’re going back to the vaults. The King isn’t just reclaiming objects. He’s reclaiming the narrative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did King Charles III strip Prince Andrew of his titles?
King Charles III removed Andrew’s titles following years of public backlash over his association with Jeffrey Epstein and his 2019 interview that damaged the monarchy’s reputation. The November 2024 decision was described by The Times as "unprecedented in the last 100 years," signaling a final break to protect the institution’s standing. Andrew’s daughters remain unaffected, preserving the royal line.
Can the corgis legally stay with Andrew and Sarah Ferguson?
Yes. The corgis are considered personal pets, not state property. While artifacts like paintings and weapons are held in trust by the Crown, living animals bred by the Queen were privately gifted to Andrew and Ferguson after her death. Buckingham Palace confirmed this distinction explicitly, distinguishing between royal objects and personal companionship.
What’s the significance of the sword being returned?
The sword isn’t just a relic — it’s tied to a public embarrassment that symbolized the family’s loss of decorum. Its return isn’t about the object’s value, but about erasing the memory of a moment when royal privilege turned into a tabloid spectacle. The scar on Ed Sheeran’s face remains, but the sword will now be archived, not displayed.
Why are Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie still working royals?
King Charles III is making a clear distinction: Andrew’s actions don’t reflect on his daughters. Both Beatrice and Eugenie have maintained low-profile but consistent public duties since 2020, supporting charities and attending state events. Their titles were preserved to avoid collateral damage and to maintain continuity in the royal family’s public-facing roles.
How does the Royal Collection Trust decide what’s returned?
The Trust follows Royal Household Regulations of 1964, which classify all items as Crown property, not personal possessions. Even if an object was gifted or used privately, if it’s part of the official collection — paintings, furniture, ceremonial items — it must be returned. The Trust’s curators are currently cataloging over 200 items from Royal Lodge, including textiles, silverware, and archival documents.
Will Muick and Sandy ever be seen in public again?
Unlikely. While the dogs are no longer royal property, they’re now private pets. Sarah Ferguson has said she plans to keep them out of the spotlight, allowing them to live as normal dogs. Their public appearances ended with the Queen’s funeral. Their legacy, however, lives on — not in photos, but in the quiet mornings when they bark, and someone swears they hear the Queen laughing.
