Prince Andrew's royal return quickly came to an end after the Duke of York was accused of assaulting another minor in connection to Jeffrey Epstein. The prince's name was mentioned in unsealed court documents, and the ongoing allegations against him will push Andrew further away from the royal family.
"This is the first time since Charles became King he realized, ‘This is never going to happen, I am going to have to be tough on my brother,'" royal editor Charlotte Griffiths told GB News. “He will have to be kept at arm’s length forever more.”
Andrew's connection to Epstein will greatly influence how the royals will interact with him going forward.
OK! previously reported former royal butler Grant Harrold claimed Andrew's transition into a recluse lifestyle will be the "closest you'll ever get to a member of the royal family retiring."
"His focus is his family, his ex-wife the Duchess of York, and his own children and grandchildren," Harrold told GB News.
Andrew's bond with Epstein began to affect his role in 2019 after Virginia Giuffre accused him of sexual battery.
Aside from Andrew's public image, sources close to Prince William shared that the Prince of Wales was disappointed in Charles' approach to his brother's fall from grace.
“Of course. Everyone knows there is a s---load more stuff that could come out on Andrew. That’s why William was so dismayed by the leniency shown to him at Christmas. He is utterly bemused by his father’s strategy," William's friend told an outlet.
“That’s not how the family dynamic works," the source added. "Charles is the king, so William has to go along with it. But he doesn’t have to like it.”
Andrew was stripped of his HRH status in 2022, but he continued to attend official gatherings such as Charles' coronation.
“William and his father agreed, in 2022, that Andrew should be kicked out of the royal family. Having ripped off the plaster, you have to question his judgment in walking to church with Andrew at Christmas, especially when they knew the Epstein affair was all going to be raked up again a few days later," a former courtier admitted.
“It was significant that Andrew was allowed to wear his Garter robes to the Coronation," they continued. "There are not any mechanisms for throwing people out of things like the Order of the Garter, but it would have been easy enough to order him not to wear the clothes."
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Andrew was asked to leave his royal residence in 2023, but he is still living in the mansion.
“It’s no secret that William and Kate have been trying to secure Royal Lodge for their family," a source told a publication. "They are in desperate need of a larger property to accommodate their household."
“The wheels finally seem to be in motion to remove Andrew from the property which William and Kate welcome and support wholeheartedly," they shared.
