Fresh controversy has erupted after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was seen riding again just months after royal aides reportedly barred him from doing so following his exile. While insiders insist the return is only temporary, the unexpected sighting has reignited debate over whether the disgraced former royal is quietly regaining privileges as a criminal investigation surrounding him continues

ANDREW Mountbatten-Windsor is back in the saddle after royal aides banned him from horse riding for months.

The shamed former prince, 66, was pictured riding for the first time since he was exiled in February.

Our photos show him wearing a blue shirt on his hour-long ride this week across the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

But Andrew’s return to the saddle is a brief one because the horses sent from Windsor by the King to give Andrew something to do are on a short loan.

An insider said: “He’s bored rigid so even getting his horse for a few days is better than sitting around doing nothing.

“He was regularly riding when he lived in Windsor as it gave him a chance to get outside.”

The ban was imposed as photos of Andrew larking about on horseback — often laughing — amid the Jeffrey Epstein scandal were frowned on in Palace circles.

The embargo began in February after the King evicted him from Royal Lodge in Windsor.

Since then, Andrew — who now lives at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate — has become a reclusive figure.

The Sun revealed last month that he was seen at a public event for the first time since his exile as he watched his sister-in-law, the Duchess of Edinburgh, compete at an equestrian event.

Andrew, who was a UK trade envoy, was arrested at Marsh Farm on February 19 — his birthday — by Thames Valley police on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Officers have been looking into allegations he leaked government info to his paedo financier pal Epstein, who died in a jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Andrew has denied any wrongdoing.

The investigation is widening, and detectives are now set to travel to the US to speak with the family of his sex accuser Virginia Giuffre.

Virginia, who took her own life last year aged 41, received a multimillion-pounds payout from Andrew in 2022 in an out of court settlement. He did not admit any liability.

Andrew was stripped of his royal titles last year.

Meanwhile, Crown Estate chief Dan Labbad has told MPs the lease which gave Andrew an income from subletting cottages on the Royal Lodge estate while paying a peppercorn rent offered the best value at the time.