Prince Andrew in high spirits as goes for a ride in Windsor

Prince Andrew appeared in high spirits today as he was spotted out riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The royal, 63, was without his brother Prince Edward, who often joins him for his weekly outings. But the solitude didn’t appear to bother Andrew, who was clearly enjoying the mild weather. 

It comes as Prince Andrew is said to be trying to re-launch himself as a royal, following him being forced to take a step back and cease royal work following the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

He is also set to refuse his older brother’s request that he swaps the 30-room lodge, where he currently lives with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, for the considerably smaller Frogmore Cottage.

King Charles is said to have ‘no power’ to kick Prince Andrew out of his home at Royal Lodge in Windsor, and sources say the Duke has ‘no plans’ to vacate. 

Prince Andrew grinned as he travelled around the Windsor estate on Saturday morning, accompanied by two other riders.

An insider claims the monarch will be unable to remove the disgraced royal from the property because his brother’s name is on the lease, not the royal family’s.

It has been reported that the Royal Lodge had been lined up for Prince William and Kate to move into.

But Andrew reportedly intends to honour the lease he signed in 2003 – which expires in 75 years – by refusing to move out of the £30million mansion.

This is despite alleged pressure from Buckingham Palace to move to Frogmore Cottage, a smaller residence on the Windsor estate previously lived in by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

An insider, who is in regular contact with Andrew, told The Times: ‘The lease is in the duke’s name so no one can take that away from him.

‘It has never been suggested that it could be taken away from him. It’s a long lease with 80 to 90 years left on it.

‘This is a lease between him and the Crown Estate. That’s not a matter for the King. It’s a matter for the chancellor of the exchequer. The only way you could get him to move out would be through an arrangement — he would have to agree.’

The royal, 63, was without his brother Prince Edward, who often joins him for his weekly outings. But the solitude didn’t appear to bother Andrew, who was clearly enjoying the mild weather

Prince Andrew was seen riding alongside his younger brother Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, last week

The brothers appeared to be in deep conversation as they soaked up the sun at Windsor

A friend told the Mail On Sunday that Andrew is feeling down and ‘refusing to budge’ from the property, which is believed to have been set aside for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children. 

‘He is so fragile,’ the friend told the Mail. Reports have swirled that Andrew has been in low spirits and even reclusive.

‘He’s refusing to see anybody. This has been his family home for the past 20 years. Is it really sensible to kick him out?’

They added: ‘He’s concerned that now the Coronation is over, the knives are out. He’s worried that the royals might even turn off the utilities to get him out of there. But we’re dealing with human beings, not real estate.’  

It is widely thought that Royal Lodge, once occupied by the Queen Mother, has been earmarked for Prince William and his family. 

Andrew moved into the luxury home following the death of the Queen Mother in 2002. He was granted the residence by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II and lives there with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson