In recent coverage of Prince Andrew, sources have folded in some rumors about his new life in Norfolk. Back in January/February, King Charles successfully forced Andrew out of Royal Lodge and into a “cottage” on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. While royalists always claim that Andrew is miserable at Marsh Farm, I have my doubts. It sounds like Charles privately financed a top-to-bottom renovation on Marsh Farm and Andrew is quite comfortable there. It sounds like he regularly hosts shooting parties and socializes with friends. There are rumors that he’s dating someone local too. Well, about that.

A woman who has been rumoured to be in a relationship with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has denied being his girlfriend, and has insisted they are friends.

Aliba Bellingham has been spending time with the former prince at his new home Marsh Farm in Norfolk, where he has been exiled after being stripped of his royal titles in the wake of further revelations about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

While it had been reported that he had begun a new relationship with Ms Bellingham, she has denied this and said they are “just acquaintances”.

The keen horse rider told the Mail on Sunday: “We hang out from time to time and talk about horses and dogs — that’s what we have in common. We get on well. He loves his horses. I’m not the sort of person to dwell on things in another person’s past. I think Andrew has found Norfolk to be a very welcoming area and that he’ll enjoy living here.

“But there’s no question of me being a ‘girlfriend’, we’re just acquaintances. I think the rumours began when an American journalist got to hear I’d been to tea with him, and then made two plus two equal five.”

Ms Bellingham, who is the sister of Conservative peer Lord Bellingham, has her own royal connections with her godmother being Frances Shand Kydd, the mother of Princess Diana.

A source told The Times: “Don’t believe all that poor Andy crap. He’s having a very nice time, thank you very much. He goes out, goes shooting with friends, sees his old chums who are very loyal to him. He’s not sitting around feeling sorry for himself any more.”

[From The Independent]

Basically, this woman is a Turnip Toff, part of the “Norfolk set” of aristocrats and old-money types. I bet she’s friends with Rose Hanbury and David Rocksavage too. And I don’t doubt that the Turnip Toffs are fine with Andrew. I think most people in that sphere are fine with him and none of them see him as a monster. As for whether Bellingham is “the girlfriend,” I don’t know. Andrew is 66 years old, and he seems like the type to have multiple “lady friends” in their 40s and 50s.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.