End of the house of York: £15million former home Queen gave as wedding gift to Andy and Fergie - dubbed SouthYork - is finally pulled down 19 years after they divorced 

  • The 12-bedroom Sunninghill Park mansion in Berkshire, which is only around 30 years old, is being demolished
  • The Queen gave the sprawling property as a gift to the Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson after marriage in 1986
  • Duchess of York lived there with daughters Beatrice and Eugenie following divorce in 1996, but moved out in 2006 
  • Dubbed SouthYork because it resembles Southfork, the ranch-house in TV’s Dallas, it was sold for £15m in 2007 
  • Ill-fated mansion is now a shadow of its former splendour and is being torn down after falling into disrepair  

By Keiligh Baker for MailOnline

Published: 10:45 EST, 16 October 2015 | Updated: 12:25 EST, 16 October 2015

The sprawling £15million former home of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is finally being demolished after falling into decay - more than 19 years after the couple divorced. 

The 12-bedroom Sunninghill Park in Berkshire, which is only around 30 years old, is a shadow of its former splendour and now has broken windows and boarded-up entrances, just eight years after the prince sold it for £15million.

The grand country house was given by the Queen to her second son as a wedding gift but the home is now under the Heathrow flight path where planes pass over it every few minutes.

Before: The grand 12-bedroom Sunninghill Park in Berkshire, which is only around 30 years old, was given by the Queen to her second son as a wedding gift - but the home is now under the Heathrow flight path where planes pass over it every few minutes

Before: The grand 12-bedroom Sunninghill Park in Berkshire, which is only around 30 years old, was given by the Queen to her second son as a wedding gift - but the home is now under the Heathrow flight path where planes pass over it every few minutes

The former home of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is finally being demolished after falling into decay - 19 years after they divorced

The former home of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is finally being demolished after falling into decay - 19 years after they divorced

After: The house is pictured today being demolished after being left alone for years and becoming derelict after its sale in 2007

After: The house is pictured today being demolished after being left alone for years and becoming derelict after its sale in 2007

After: The planning permission granted by Bracknell Forest Borough Council expires in December 2016 if work has not begun on the new property - but with today's demolition it would appear the plans will be going ahead

After: The planning permission granted by Bracknell Forest Borough Council expires in December 2016 if work has not begun on the new property - but with today's demolition it would appear the plans will be going ahead

Dubbed SouthYork because it resembles Southfork, the ranch-house in TV’s Dallas, the Duke of York sold it to Kazakh businessman Timur Kulibayev in 2007.

He paid more than £3million above the £12million asking price but since then it has become derelict and is now finally being demolished after the local council gave permission last year.

Designed by Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith, who also created a development on the Balmoral estate, ‘SouthYork’ was given to Andrew after his marriage in 1986.

The Duchess of York lived there with daughters Beatrice and Eugenie following the divorce in 1996, but moved out in 2006 and joined Andrew at his home Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

Before: In its prime in the 1980s the house was dubbed SouthYork because it resembles Southfork, the ranch-house in TV’s Dallas

Before: In its prime in the 1980s the house was dubbed SouthYork because it resembles Southfork, the ranch-house in TV’s Dallas

After: But the home has fallen into disrepair and is now under the Heathrow flight path where planes pass over it every few minutes

After: But the home has fallen into disrepair and is now under the Heathrow flight path where planes pass over it every few minutes

Before: The Duke sold the mansion to Kazakh businessman Timur Kulibayev in 2007 after Fergie and her daughters moved out in 2006

Before: The Duke sold the mansion to Kazakh businessman Timur Kulibayev in 2007 after Fergie and her daughters moved out in 2006

After: But while Mr Kulibayev paid more than £3million above the £12million asking price, since then it has become derelict

After: But while Mr Kulibayev paid more than £3million above the £12million asking price, since then it has become derelict

It was sold a year later but has become an expensive ruin - and its prospects became even worse after is began being bombarded by noisy Jumbo jets coming in to land at Heathrow.   

Last year neighbours described how the latest blight on the once grand mansion saw planes cruising over every two minutes, as low as 5,000 feet, with noise levels of 78 decibels being recorded.

'It's terrible - huge jumbo jets fly right over our rooftops and it's so, so noisy,' said one neighbour, who declined to be named.

In December 2013 the current owner was granted planning permission tor replace the former royal home with a larger six bedroom house, with a further eight bedrooms for staff.

Before: The house was designed by Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith, who also created a development on the Balmoral estate

Before: The house was designed by Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith, who also created a development on the Balmoral estate

After:  But after just 30 years the house is now finally being demolished after the local council gave permission last year

After:  But after just 30 years the house is now finally being demolished after the local council gave permission last year

Before: The Duchess of York lived at the sprawling mansion with her daughters Beatrice and Eugenie following the divorce in 1996

Before: The Duchess of York lived at the sprawling mansion with her daughters Beatrice and Eugenie following the divorce in 1996

After: But in 2006 the family moved out and joined Andrew at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, and the house was put on the market

After: But in 2006 the family moved out and joined Andrew at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, and the house was put on the market

The new design, which was created by architects Hok, will include a family living room, drawing room, formal dining room, study and sitting rooms for children and the master suite.

A 25 metre indoor swimming pool to the south of the house will replace the current outdoor pool.

The planning permission granted by Bracknell Forest Borough Council expires in December 2016 if work has not begun on the new property - but with today's demolition it would appear the plans will be going ahead.

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said: 'It's going to be good if it goes because the history goes with it. It had lovely grounds and staff but it was never a place of great beauty.' 

Before: The front of the mansion in 1990. In December 2013 the current owner was granted planning permission tor replace the former royal home with a larger six bedroom house, with a further eight bedrooms for staff

Before: The front of the mansion in 1990. In December 2013 the current owner was granted planning permission tor replace the former royal home with a larger six bedroom house, with a further eight bedrooms for staff

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Prince Andrew, Duke of York, are pictured at The Virgin London Marathon 2010 in London

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Prince Andrew, Duke of York, are pictured at The Virgin London Marathon 2010 in London

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