Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth’s favorite son and banned by the Royal Family due to Jeffrey Epstein’s scandalous pedophilia affair, has demanded that his mother restore his rank of His Royal Highness, his rank of Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, and is pressing for his duties to be restored royals, when he is the ninth in line to the throne, the fourth adult and Royal Councilor. He also requested that his daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, be inducted into the events as working members of the Royal Family.
Negotiations were sufficiently advanced with his mother for him to be incorporated into Monday’s official invitations to the ceremonies of the Order of the Garter, to which he belongs, along with senior members of the Royal Family. Prince Andrew was going to appear with his cape, hat and white feathers in the procession of the Royal Family this Monday at Windsor Palace.
But an open lobby of his brother and heir, Prince Charles, and his son William, the next on the throne, opposed the participation of the Duke of York in the ceremony on Monday.
Members of the royal family have no trace of Prince Andrew. Photo: Reuters
Charles said that “there was no return” by Andrés, the Duke of York, “to the Royal Family”. The heir has become a regent of ceremonies due to her mother’s mobility problems. Prince William supported him. But the final decision belongs to his mother, the sovereign, and not to them.
Lunches with mom, the queen
Andrew and the queen, together after a Thanksgiving mass in tribute to the late Prince Philip Photo: Reuters
Andrew lunches daily with the Queen at Windsor Palace, accompanies her and she listens to him. The future of the Duke of York is being discussed with his mother while his brother, the heir, wants to exile him to Scotland and vacate the Queen Mother’s home, where he lives with his ex-wife Fergie in Windsor Park.
Andrew refuses to go to Scotland, to move out of his 32-bedroom house and not have a role. He considers himself innocent and was never part of Epstein’s trial. He paid Virginia Roberts Giuffrey £12m, after several months of negotiations, over a sexual abuse allegation. The money was provided by Prince Charles and the Queen. He always proclaimed his innocence.
William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, want to move to Windsor from September with their children to be close to the sovereign and plan to live in the house that they currently occupy Andres and Fergie.
Photo courtesy of Buckingham Palace shows the queen and her immediate successors, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla. Photo: AP
Although the adults of the Royal Family they do not feel the slightest sympathy for Andrés and his behavior, they must recognize that the queen’s son needs a future and to be able to organize his life, at 62 years old and without personal fortune. For this he will need the support of the palace.
The duke received his title of Colonel of the Grenadiers as an inheritance from his father, Prince Philip. He continues to wear his jacket when he rides in Windsor park on a daily basis. A position his father was proud of. His desire to wear the uniform for his father’s funeral forced everyone to wear a jacquet to the ceremony. The rank was handed over to the queen last January.
Beyond the fact that he has been excluded from the British “new working Royal Family”, along with his daughters plus Harry and Meghan, the Dukes of Sussex, Andrew remains formally the ninth in the line of succession and Royal Councilor with Harry. If something happens to the queen, they can replace it in their activities.
Other times. Prince Andrew at Ascot. Photo: Reuters
The royal interior
The Andrés case shows the internal battle among the royal family. Queen Elizabeth does not want to lose her power despite her mobility problems, and she wants to continue to control the throne from Windsor Palace. Prince Charles and William are looking to start designing the future for themselves, now.
A source close to the duke said that it is “his personal decision” not to appear in public. A Buckingham Palace source described him as “a family decision”.
The prince can attend the Investiture Palace Luncheon of the Garter Order in the Throne Room, where Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, is to be sworn in. Garter’s Day is one of the most important celebrations of the summer for the Royal Family and it took place this Monday, three years after being interrupted by the pandemic.
He was seen to participate in all regalia to Prime Minister Tony Blair and the ceremony in the chapel was attended by Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Paris, correspondent
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