Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Mourning Loss of One Super-Indulgent Treat He Used to Share Every Day With Ex-Wife Sarah Ferguson at Their $40 Million Mansion

OK! can reveal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is said to be mourning the loss of one super-indulgent daily ritual he once shared with Sarah Ferguson at Royal Lodge – lavish afternoon tea – as a far more austere chapter looms following his arrest.

Andrew, 66, and his ex-wife Ferguson, also 66, have vacated the 31-room, $40 million Lodge in Windsor Great Park after two decades of living in luxury there side by side, despite their 1996 divorce.

The former couple, who once described themselves as the "happiest divorced couple in the world," had maintained a close domestic routine at the Grade II-listed mansion.

But after being kicked out of the Lodge – and following Andrew's arrest on February 19 on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his dealings with his p--------- pal Jeffrey Epstein – he is said to missing their shared life of comfort more than ever.

Andrew was questioned for nearly 12 hours by cops before being released "under investigation."

At the heart of his and Ferguson's former lavish daily routine was a day-to-day ritual insiders say Andrew now "deeply misses."

Ferguson said in 2018 about their bond: "We stand up for each other, fight for each other. We're totally respectful of each other's position and thoughts and we listen to each other. Our children listen to us, too. And we sit around the table and have afternoon tea together. It's a very important part of our lives."

A source close to the Yorks told OK!: "That afternoon tea was Andrew's anchor. It wasn't just a cup of tea and a biscuit – it was a full silver-service spread laid out every single day. It was freshly baked scones, finger sandwiches, pastries – all prepared by staff on hand. It cost a fortune to produce daily, and if you tried to replicate that level of service at a five-star hotel with servants waiting on you, you'd be looking at a fortune over time."

The insider added: "Andrew misses the ceremony of it – the routine, the familiarity, the sense of status. It reminded him of a life where everything was taken care of. That world is now in tatters."

Royal Lodge, set within 98 acres, provided the space for what former butler Paul Burrell once described in The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess as "lavish" entertaining in the early years of Andrew and Ferguson's marriage.

Meals and tea parties were a fixture of their domestic life.

Though Ferguson has said she never considered Royal Lodge truly her home, the rhythm of daily tea endured long after her divorce from Andrew.

Now, according to one insider: "A much more grim reality awaits Andrew and Sarah. The staff numbers are down, the grandeur has faded and the scrutiny is relentless. There are no endless trays appearing every afternoon, and there's no army of footmen smoothing everything over."

King Charles, 77, issued a statement after his younger brother's arrest expressing his "deepest concern" over the case – and warned the law "must take its course."

Another source said: "For Andrew, the loss of that daily indulgence symbolizes everything else he's lost – proximity to the monarchy, public standing and the comforts of Royal Lodge. Afternoon tea may sound trivial, but it represented stability and privilege. Without it, the contrast between then and now is stark. As Andrew relocates and Fergie reportedly considers spending more time overseas, the era of silver teapots and tiered cake stands has given way to something far less gilded – and far more uncertain for both of them."