Sarah Ferguson is narrowing down her search for a new home — and now has a firm deadline for when she must leave Royal Lodge.

The author and former Duchess of York, 66, is preparing to move out of the Windsor residence she has long shared with her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, following King Charles’ unprecedented decision to strip Andrew (formerly known as Prince Andrew) of all royal titles and request the surrender of his lease amid renewed scrutiny of his past association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

A close source tells PEOPLE that Ferguson, who also lost her royal title, is focusing her search close to the place she has called home for decades.

“She’s looking for a place in Windsor,” the source says, adding that she and Andrew have been given a move-out date of Jan. 31.

A representative for Ferguson had no comment when reached by PEOPLE.

A move to Windsor would keep Ferguson close to her daughters and their families in London — about a 45-minute drive away. Princess Beatrice, 37, splits her time between her private apartment at St. James’s Palace and a farmhouse in the Cotswolds, while Princess Eugenie, 35, lives at Ivy Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace and also spends time in Portugal with her husband, Jack Brooksbank.

Sarah Ferguson and former Prince Andrew; Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty; Shutterstock

The new timing adds urgency to Ferguson’s hunt for a fresh start. As PEOPLE previously reported, her spokesman said she has been “assessing a number of options” for her next chapter and that no final decision has been made. Recent reports speculating that she might move into a converted barn or annex on the Cotswolds property of her Beatrice — or join Eugenie in Portugal — were firmly denied.

Instead, Ferguson is expected to “move forward independently,” a second source previously told PEOPLE, emphasizing that she has not asked for a property or special provision for herself.

Meanwhile, Andrew, 65, is relocating to a property on King Charles’ Sandringham estate in Norfolk — just under a three-hour drive from Windsor.

Royal Lodge holds deep personal history for the family — from Princess Eugenie’s evening wedding reception in 2018 to Princess Beatrice’s intimate Windsor wedding in 2020 — but their long residence had come under increasing scrutiny, especially amid reports they had not paid rent in more than two decades.