Prince William and Kate Middleton are reportedly aligned in their desire to see Prince Andrew removed from Royal Lodge, as public and private pressure surrounding the disgraced royal continues to mount.
Amid scrutiny over Prince Andrew’s association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and his accuser Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault allegations against the royal in her posthumous memoir, royal expert Phil Dampier has said William and Kate are eager to draw a line under the scandal before he ascends the throne.
On October 17, Andrew, 65, announced he would stop using his royal title, Duke of York. Before the announcement was made, Andrew was at the centre of headlines due to his association with Epstein and allegations in Ms Giuffre’s book.
Ms Giuffre alleged she was made to have sex with the prince in the early 2000s after being trafficked by Epstein. Andrew has always denied all allegations against him.
Prince Andrew scandal
Andrew has faced backlash over his links to Epstein for many years. Earlier this month, an email emerged allegedly revealing that Andrew had told Epstein in a 2011 email that “we are in this together” and that “we’ll play some more soon”. The email was reportedly sent just one day after the now infamous 2001 photo appearing to show Andrew with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Epstein, and Ms Giuffre emerged for the first time.
However, the email contradicts Prince Andrew’s claim in his BBC Newsnight interview that he had cut ties with the convicted sex offender months earlier in late 2010.
There have been calls for Andrew to be evicted from Royal Lodge, the sprawling 30-room estate in Windsor Great Park. The backlash has intensified following reports that he has only been paying “peppercorn” rent for the last two decades.
Despite having no active royal duties, Andrew retains access to the estate under what has been described as an “iron-clad lease”. The lease prevents any legal removal until 2078.
However, Mr Dampier suggests that the optics of allowing Andrew to live in luxury while maintaining a low profile are damaging to the monarchy.
Prince William has ‘no time’ for Prince Andrew
Mr Dampier pointed to a telling public moment during the Duchess of Kent’s funeral on September 16. In video footage posted online, Prince William appeared cold and dismissive towards his uncle.
“We all saw with our own eyes the reaction that William had to Andrew when he tried to talk to him after the Duchess of Kent’s funeral,” Mr Dampier told The Sun. “It was obvious that he didn’t have any time for him.”
Mr Dampier added that William likely feels frustrated behind the scenes. He may also want to resolve the scandal before his future reign.
I think Kate’s attitude will be that she will support what William wants to do.
The expert claimed: “He feels that [Andrew] is doing untold damage to the monarchy. [William] would very much like this whole mess to be cleared up, one way or the other, before he becomes king.”
Proximity may also play a role in William and Kate’s reported concerns. Royal Lodge is close to Adelaide Cottage, where the Prince and Princess of Wales currently live with their three children. They’ll move to Forest Lodge, also within the grounds of the Windsor estate, later this year.
Protests have reportedly erupted outside Andrew’s home, with demonstrators using megaphones to demand his removal. Mr Dampier described the spectacle as “turning into a bit of a circus”.
Kate Middleton’s ‘attitude’ towards Andrew
While Kate, Princess of Wales, has largely stayed out of the drama, Mr Dampier claimed she fully supports William’s stance.
“I think Kate’s attitude will be that she will support what William wants to do,” he explained. “She’s had more important things to worry about with her own health battles and looking after her children. So I don’t think she would have been particularly active behind the scenes. I think she’s pretty much leaving it to William to make the decisions. She pretty much supports what he does.”
The couple, Mr Dampier said, will want to move past the scandal as they prepare for their future roles as king and queen.
Despite his fall from grace, Andrew remains at Royal Lodge. But Mr Dampier said the time has come for the prince to “accept” that his royal life is over.
Ultimately, the Prince and Princess of Wales want the matter resolved during King Charles’ reign, not theirs. As Mr Dampier put it, the longer Andrew remains at Royal Lodge, the more likely it is that William will have to personally deal with the issue when he ascends the throne.
The expert said that it’s “best for all concerned if this gets cleared up… while Charles is still king”.
Kensington Palace has been for comment.
Read more: Palace issues King Charles statement amid ‘great concern’ over Prince Andrew allegations
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