Prince Andrew today embarked on his customary Saturday morning horseback riding tour of Windsor Castle, as questions arise about his former marital home.
The Duke of York, 64, was in deep conversation with his riding partner as he rode around the Berkshire estate, enjoying the early spring sunshine.
Andrew wore a khaki jacket, gray sweater, black pants and a black and white striped helmet for the outing.
He and his riding partner, who was wearing a Windsor Castle emblem, chatted as they enjoyed the warmer weather, before heading back to the castle.
It comes as it emerged that Prince Andrew’s former marital home has remained empty since it underwent a multi-million pound rebuild two years ago.
Prince Andrew today embarked on his customary Saturday morning horseback riding tour of Windsor Castle, as questions arise about his former marital home.
The disgraced duke sold Sunninghill Park in Berkshire to Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of former Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev, in 2007 for £15m.
Controversially, he paid £3 million more than the asking price, even though the property had been on the market for five years.
It was later reported that the Duke of York had been acting as an intermediary in Mr Kulibayev’s business dealings. Andrew, close to the tycoon’s father-in-law, denied any irregularity.
After falling into disrepair, the property was demolished in 2015 and work began to build a luxurious new home in its place.
According to sources, the project cost around £18 million, resulting in Kulibayev spending a total of £33 million on the acquisition and redevelopment of Sunninghill Park.
The works were completed two years ago but surprisingly, despite the huge sums involved, no one has lived in Andrew’s former house since, with metal shutters on the windows closed and large iron doors at the entrance firmly closed.
One neighbor told MailOnline: “I don’t blame the owners for not wanting to live in it because it’s so horrible.” I’ve heard it’s very luxurious inside, but what’s the point of that if the outside is so disgusting?
The empty property is patrolled by a team of former Gurkha soldiers.
The Duke of York, 64, was in deep conversation with his riding partner as he rode around the Berkshire estate, enjoying the early spring sunshine.
Then: Sunninghill House, on the edge of Windsor Great Park, near Ascot, which was sold by Prince Andrew in 2007.
Five gardeners work at the new Sunninghill Park to maintain its extensive six-acre grounds while a cleaning crew visits each month.
A property official said: ‘The cleaning people are the only ones who enter the house regularly. I’ve been working here since they rebuilt it and I’ve never seen the owner or any of his friends or family.
None of them have spent the night here. That seems like a lot of money to spend on a luxury home you’ll never use. It’s a mystery why they’ve never come here.
Now: Prince Andrew’s former home, Sunninghill Park, in Berkshire, after a multimillion-dollar reconstruction two years ago
Angry neighbors have described the new house as an “eyesore” resembling a suburban supermarket. It was sold by the disgraced duke to Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of former Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2007 for £15m.
Heavy-duty steel shutters were installed during the renovation, but no one has spent a single night at the property since.
The property is located on the edge of Windsor Great Park on land owned by the Crown Estate.
Neighbors told MailOnline they endured years of “hell” while demolition work was carried out followed by the construction of the new house and they are not happy with the result.
One, who did not want to be named, said: “It is very ugly and looks like a big supermarket in a suburban shopping complex.” It doesn’t fit in with the surroundings and has completely ruined the view of an impressive park.
‘The only positive point is that it is behind a high wall and trees have been planted around it which will hopefully grow and hide it. I must say it is the most disgusting building I have ever seen in my life.