Prince Andrew 'blindsided by King Charles and told he won't return to royal role'
06.11.2022 - 19:45
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Prince Andrew was reportedly 'blindsided' in an awkward meeting with King Charles where he was told that he will never be allowed to return to royal duties. The disgraced Duke of York thought he could 'still be of value' to the royal family and had 'always believed there was a way back' to his formal role despite his recent sexual assault lawsuit.
Prince Andrew denied the allegations made against him by Virginia Giuffre, who claims he sexually abused her as a teen after she was trafficked by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He later came to an out-of-court settlement, paying Giuffre a reported £12 million, the Mirror reports.
In the wake of the sex scandal earlier this year, Prince Andrew stepped down from his royal duties and was stripped of his military affiliations and patronages by the Queen. The 62-year-old continues to deny any wrongdoing and has tried to lobby to resume his former role, according to reports.
Just days before the Queen's death, he attended an early-morning meeting with his brother Charles at Birkhall estate in Scotland just days. During the tense talk, the future monarch reaffirmed that he would never return to royal service.
An insider told the Mail on Sunday : “Andrew was totally blindsided. He is utterly bereft. He always believed there was a way back.”
Another source said: “Naïve as it may sound, he always had hopes of regaining his position as a senior Royal. At the meeting, Charles told him that he can go off and have a good life, a nice life, but that his public life as a royal is at an end.”
The late Queen continued to advocate for her son following his lawsuit, allowing him to make a rare public appearance and escort her down the aisle at Prince Phillip’s memorial service. Her decision