Prince Andrew to Make Surprise Trip to Balmoral — but Not Without a Stern Warning from Charles
Trigger warning: This article contains themes of sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing
Prince Andrew has been a controversial figure within the royal family since his friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein was revealed in 2019. The Duke of York stepped down from royal duties later that year and was stripped of his royal patronages in 2022. Now, it seems King Charles may have allegedly taken pity on his embattled brother, who’s holed up with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, at the Royal Lodge. A new report claims Andrew is on the guest list for the King’s annual summer holiday at Balmoral, but only after receiving a stern warning against attempting a royal comeback.
On July 6, it was reported that the FBI investigation into Epstein's sex crimes didn't uncover his alleged 'client list', a document rumored to contain blackmail material on high-profile figures, much to Andrew's relief. As reported by The Mirror, a 'mole' who spoke to Ephraim Hardcastle of The Daily Mail claimed that Andrew had been 'feeling chipper' after hearing the news. He wrote, "As the King returns to Scotland for his summer break, my mole reports Prince Andrew is still on the guest list for a Balmoral holiday." He added, "But, with Trump's second thoughts about releasing documents, Andrew's anxiety continues. It hasn't helped that he has received a reminder from the King that events don't allow him to return to royal duty."
While Charles reportedly harbors a soft corner for his brother, Prince William has allegedly been giving him a hard time over Andrew's possible return to royal duties. Royal expert Russell Myers told The Mirror that Charles and William had reportedly reached a compromise over their 'power struggle' regarding Andrew. He said, "When the King decided after the Queen's death, he was going to be brought back into the family fold, William said absolutely not." The expert added, "So we have this sort of interesting power struggle going on, and I imagine you know that hopefully in a long time in the future when William is King, he [Andrew] will be nowhere to be seen around the family."
Andrew’s disgraceful ties to Epstein first came to light when Virginia Giuffre claimed she was trafficked by the financier to have illicit relations with the Duke when she was underage. Following the bombshell revelation, Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC, in which he denied knowing Giuffre but admitted to his friendship with Epstein. The public felt he failed to offer a sincere apology or show genuine remorse during the sit-down, leading to immense backlash. Since stepping down in 2019, Andrew has been banned from attending major royal events.
As far as Charles' relationship with his brother, Marca reports that he has allowed Andrew to continue attending social engagements at Windsor Castle, following the closure of the FBI investigation. While the Duke has been stripped of his royal duties and public funding, he remains welcome at non-official royal gatherings, such as the Easter service and Christmas celebrations at Sandringham. Despite this, the chances of his full-time return to royal duties remain very bleak.
If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)