EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's form-filling humiliation at royal exit

For a man as proud as the former Duke of York, this must have felt like the ultimate humiliation.I hear that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had to prove who he was when he handed over the lease for his former home, Royal Lodge in Windsor.King Charles’s brother did not even have a representative to handle his formal departure from what he always thought would be his ‘forever home’ and had to be ‘ID verified’.This means that Mountbatten-Windsor was required to fill out an ID3 form which had to give his name and even say if it had been changed.The King stripped him of his title HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York a year ago.He also had to hand over his address, and any previous addresses over the last five years as well as his landline phone number.Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, then had to secure a professional such as a doctor, accountant or MP to sign a form to confirm he was whom he claimed to be. I hear that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, pictured in April 2025, had to prove who he was when he handed over the lease for his former home Royal Lodge, writes Richard EdenNewly filed documents show that he had to sign a Deed of Surrender after being forced to leave Royal Lodge over the revelations about his connection to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The King paid £1.5million to the Crown Estate on behalf of his brother for the ‘dilapidations’ to Royal Lodge.He was forced to quit his former home in February and moved to Sandringham, where the King pays his upkeep and accommodation.Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested the same month on suspicion of misconduct in public office – an allegation he strenuously denies.A court ruling last month found fault with the search warrants used by the police.Kelly Osbourne: 'I've got my sparkle back'Kelly Osbourne could have been mistaken for one of the decorations at a party to celebrate a designer Christmas tree. The TV star wore a £955 sequin-covered Westminster gown to the bash at Aki London restaurant. Both her dress and the tree were created by designer Rebecca Vallance. Kelly, 42, said she ‘couldn’t eat’ following the death of her rock star father Ozzy Osbourne last year but has since gained 30lb. ‘Sometimes I thought I wasn’t good enough to wear certain dresses,’ she tells me. ‘I lost my sparkle, but I’ve been reborn because the old me is dead.’ She says: ‘I still have poochies [rolls of belly fat] and wobbly bits and everything, but my body’s not perfect. But I’m really happy in myself right now. ‘I’m really proud of the work I’ve done on me, because it was really rough and hard. Dealing with any sort of self-help or mental health, it’s difficult because you got to get brutally honest. Kelly Osbourne, wearing a £955 sequin-covered Westminster gown, could have been mistaken for one of the decorations at a party in London to celebrate a designer Christmas treeCharity begins at Sloane Street for Queen's nephewQueen Camilla’s nephew Sir Ben Elliot launched an annual charity carol concert, the Fayre of St James’s, in London 14 years ago. And this week, the former Conservative Party co-chairman’s charity, the Quintessentially Foundation, unveiled a spectacular trail of Christmas tree sculptures and other festive designs dotted along Sloane Street in Chelsea. Named The Firefly Festive Forest, the designs are crafted by famous figures including make-up artist to the stars Charlotte Tilbury and can be bought at a Sotheby’s online auction. One sculpture, by artist Charlotte Colbert, has a starting price of £55,000.Quintessentially Foundation director Alastair Masser tells me: ‘In London, you’ve still got one in three kids living in poverty, one in five struggle with their mental health daily. Supporting them is the kind of work that our charities are doing.’ The foundation has ensured that private security will keep a watchful eye over the trail throughout the auction, which ends on December 1 Queen Camilla’s nephew Sir Ben Elliot – pictured in 2017 – launched an annual charity carol concert, the Fayre of St James’s, in London 14 years agoDame Imelda Staunton slams young stars with big social media followings landing roles at the expense of trained actors. Dame Imelda, 70, snaps: ‘The annoying thing is when someone who’s got TikTok followers, they get a part. You go, “Hang on a minute?” People who’ve worked long and hard, kids who are training and doing it all, I want them to be given an opportunity. Not someone who’s got followers. That for me is my bete noire.’ How gallery boss snubbed the KingThe Chris Beetles Gallery hosted an exhibition of watercolours by the late historian Paul Johnson. ‘I am a hypocrite,’ Beetles announced at the launch party, where guests included Johnson’s entrepreneur son Luke, former chairman of Pizza Express. ‘I said I would never host an amateur exhibition. There was a request from the King for an exhibition of his watercolours, which I refused. My friend Jeffrey Archer rang me furious: “Why are you such an idiot? Why can’t you be commercial?” But I liked Paul, who used to come to the gallery a lot. So I made an exception.’ Meghan's ex celebrates fourth child If ever proof were needed that sunshine follows rain, it’s abundantly provided by the romantic life of American film producer Trevor Engelson. After his first, childless 2011 marriage to aspiring actress Meghan Markle ended abruptly after three years, the affable Engelson married Tracey Kurland, who, aside from being a dietician, is also heiress to her late father’s $200 million fortune.The couple, whose 2019 wedding was a sumptuous affair in California, are celebrating the birth of their second son – and fourth child – who’s been named Sebastian Dean. No one, I imagine, will begrudge the impeccably discreet Trevor, 50, and Tracey, 40, their happiness – even though their expanding family seems unlikely to earn admiration from Trevor’s ex. Harry has said he and Meghan plan to have two children – ‘maxi mum!’ – out of ‘concern for the environment and climate change’. What a bundle of joy. American film producer Trevor Engleson married Tracey Kurland in 2019, five years after his divorce from Meghan Markle. The couple have now welcomed their fourth child togetherTruffle oil is wrong, blasts Rick Stein All the rage in fashionable restaurants, truffle oil fails to tickle the taste buds of Rick Stein. The TV chef, 79, has condemned the increasingly ubiquitous ingredient, claiming it tricks diners into believing they are eating something far more luxurious than they really are. ‘Truffle oil is wrong,’ Rick declares. ‘It’s not made with truffles. It’s just a manufactured flavour. As soon as you put truffle oil with something, everybody thinks you’ve got something really, really special.’ He adds: ‘When I found that they’re putting truffle oil in Marmite and truffle-oil chips, I suddenly realised the idea of truffles – which are exquisite, particularly white truffles, but black truffles as well – is being sort of bastardised.’