The Prince Andrew scandal isn’t exactly new. He was demoted as a working royal back in 2022 by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. And before that, his rumored relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was already big news. So, though Andrew is immediately facing the consequences of his own actions—or at least some of them—he got away with a lot for a very long time, and his family enabled him. And some people are putting the blame for that on King Charles, and doing so in public.
During a royal walkout in Staffordshire on Monday, Oct. 27, the King was heckled about his brother as he greeted well-wishers outside Lichfield Cathedral. “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” the heckler said in footage shared on social media. “Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew? Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew, Charles? What do you think — should the MPs be allowed to debate the royals in the House of Commons?”
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The King just ignored the comments. Very soon after, he was escorted away. Pretty telling, in and of itself.
All of this comes after Andrew announced he would no longer be using his titles and honors a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Friday, Oct. 17, the disgraced royal said, “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”
He added, “With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must immediately go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me,” he added.
According to The Times the decision was made after the relationship between the brothers had reached “a tipping point” that had King Charles considering stripping his brother of his title. RadarOnline.com reported from a source that Andrew’s decision came at the behest of the king.
“Charles has had enough,” a senior palace source said. “He’s at the end of his rope. His words about Andrew were, ‘Oh, just p— off,’ which tells you everything about where things stand. He sighed and looked absolutely exhausted. He wants Andrew to stop hiding behind his remaining titles and quietly remove himself from public life for good.”
Reportedly, the king would love for his brother to “just disappear” from public life as Charles feels he has “humiliated the family.” But that might not be as easy as it sounds, as Andrew still resides at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, which means he is in very close proximity to other royals. Several outlets have reported that both Charles and Prince William would love for him to vacate his home, but Andrew is reportedly demanding another home is provided for him and one for his ex Sarah Ferguson, which seems to have brought the conversation to a standstill.
For immediately, all that’s happened to Andrew is that he has willingly given up his titles and honors and has reportedly not been invited to spend Christmas with the family at Sandringham. Not so bad when it comes to consequences, and probably the reason why a lot of people are wondering if the institution is still protecting him and if things will ever change.
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