Insiders said last night that Andrew would never return to the royal circle following the publication of documents detailing sexual assault allegations.
Documents released by a New York court in the early hours of yesterday put the Duke of York's relationship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein back in the spotlight, claiming the prince committed “acts of sexual abuse” and took part in an “orgy of minors.”
Andrew has vehemently and repeatedly denied all allegations made against him. Well-informed sources told the Mail yesterday that while the court claims were no surprise, they had helped to “crystallize” King Charles' determination to decisively resolve the “Andrew problem”.
There were already plans to evict him from Royal Lodge, his 10-bedroom home in Windsor since 2003, and move him to a smaller apartment in keeping with his “downgraded” status.
The newly released court documents are believed to have strengthened the king's resolve that Andrew should never be allowed to resume his royal duties.
Prince Andrew photographed walking with Jeffrey Epstein in New York's Central Park in 2011
Prince Andrew and King Charles III speaking following a vigil in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh in September 2022
A source said: “When it comes to his brother taking a public role, there is no going back.”
“There has always been an agreement that Andrew is allowed to attend private and family events, which is his right.” But not public or official ones. Nothing changed about that.'
Andrew has rejected requests from Charles to move into the smaller Frogmore Cottage, which had belonged to Harry and Meghan before they left for the US.
The king is now expected to redouble his efforts to relocate his brother in the coming months.
A source said: “When it comes to family it's difficult.” But that association will simply never go away. And that's what he means [Andrew] must.'
The now unsealed documents relate to a Manhattan defamation case that Virginia Giuffre, née Roberts, the Duke's accuser, brought in 2015 against Ghislaine Maxwell, who served as Epstein's “madame.”
Andrew, who has spent years trying to repair his shattered public image, is mentioned 69 times in the new files, along with dozens of high-profile associates of the late pedophile financier.
This includes a statement from Jane Doe 3 – later identified as Ms Giuffre – who claims she was forced to have sex with the Duke on three occasions, including when she was 17.
She claims Epstein ordered her to “give the prince anything he asked for,” including “an orgy with numerous other underage girls” on the financier's Caribbean island of Little Saint James.
Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell at Maxwell's home in London
She claimed that British socialite Maxwell, the daughter of Robert Maxwell, “facilitated Prince Andrew's sexual abuse by acting as a 'madame' to Epstein.”
In another blow to Andrew, documents in the case are expected to be released on a rolling basis, meaning he could face days of embarrassing headlines about his friendship with Epstein.
Yesterday's explosive court documents include claims that:
- Andrew put his “hand on the breasts” of another alleged Epstein victim;
- Money was offered to refute claims that Professor Stephen Hawking “participated in an underage orgy”;
- Epstein once claimed that former US President Bill Clinton “likes them young”;
- Pedophile Michael Jackson was among the guests on Epstein's private island;
- Magician David Copperfield asked an alleged victim if she knew girls were being paid to procure others.
Mr. Copperfield denies all allegations of wrongdoing, while a spokesman for Mr. Clinton repeated an earlier statement that he was unaware of Epstein's “horrific crimes” during their previous friendship.
After the documents were released, Ms. Giuffre triumphantly posted on X, formerly Twitter, noting that so many people were downloading the new court files that the system had crashed. She wrote: “We broke the website.”
Andrew was recently said to be “perplexed and completely agonized” over fears the scandal would blow up again.
The Duke stepped down as working royal in 2019 following his “car crash” Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis. In it he was mocked for denying Ms Guiffre's claims that the pair had sex in London when he was 17, saying he had been at Pizza Express in Woking on the night in question.
Then in 2021, Andrew was accused of sexual assault in New York by Ms Giuffre, a mother of three now living in Australia. In February 2022, he closed the case and paid her a reported £10 million, but denied all her claims and claimed he did not remember ever meeting her.
By this time, his mother, the late Queen, had already stripped him of his royal patronage and military titles. However, there is speculation that recent appearances at major public events, such as the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee and in church with the royal family on Christmas Day, may signal a thawing of this position.
However, sources suggest that this is not the case.
A source who has studied Andrew extensively said: “The palace can't ignore it, it's not going to go away.” He paid Virginia Roberts this huge amount of money. If he thought the money would make it disappear, it had the opposite effect. It gave him legs. “People think, 'No smoke without fire'.”
They added: “This young woman, supposedly powerless, has had the last laugh.” She has his money and has found a way to publicly name him and shame him through court documents that, once again, he has no recourse against.
Then-Prince Charles and Prince Andrew exchange words from the balcony of Buckingham Palace as their mother Queen Elizabeth II looks on at Trooping The Color in 2019
“He is guilty of bringing the institution into disrepute.”
Another source added: “Forty years ago he was a heroic naval officer, charming and handsome.” What a meteoric fall. He was never wise about the company he kept. In fact, he's not very smart, period.
“He dislikes taking advice and severely lacks judgment. Plus, he traditionally surrounds himself with people who told him he could walk on water.” When you're surrounded by sycophants like that, you believe your own press.
“The palace has to get this under control.” It’s difficult for the family. He is still her flesh and blood. But King Charles must act.
'Of course, if [Andrew] If you were a thoroughly nice guy, then people would be more willing to consider all sides. But he isn't.
Prince Andrew at Sandringham on Christmas Day 2023. He reportedly dodged prosecutors' questions in 2019, despite publicly vowing to help investigate Epstein
“This is a classic example: If you're not very nice to people on the way up, you have to be careful on the way down… It's rare to find someone who so few people have good things to say about have to say.”
Royal biographer Tom Bower called on the royal family to “bury and forget” Prince Andrew as he “self-denies” his connection to Epstein. He said: 'It's a danger to the palace, they don't know what more bombs will be dropped.' He doesn't tell them.'
Meanwhile, pressure mounted after anti-monarchy campaigners reported the Duke to the Metropolitan Police last night.
Police had already said in August 2022 that they would take no further action over the allegations against Epstein, sticking with their 2015 decision not to investigate Ms Giuffre's claims that she was a sex trafficker to London.
Graham Smith, of the Republic group, said: “I reported Andrew to the police knowing that the Met claimed to have already investigated the matter.”
“I call on the Met Police to reopen this case, I call on MPs to debate this matter in Parliament and I call on Charles to make a public statement.”
“At the time of the alleged offenses, Andrew was a government trade envoy and an active member of the royal family.” Buckingham Palace refused to comment on the latest revelations and could not even say who represented Andrew now that he is no longer a working royal is.
Documents released this week said Andrew made weekly calls to financier Jeffrey Epstein (pictured) and flew to his private retreat in the Caribbean
His most recent lawyer did not respond to a request for clarification or comment.
Many of the Duke's mentions in the documents can be found in the testimony of Johanna Sjoberg, another of Epstein's “sex slaves,” who recounted how she sat on Andrew's lap while he caressed her breast at Epstein's Manhattan mansion in 2007.
In her first full account of the controversial episode, which has never been published before, Ms Sjoberg – then a 20-year-old student – says: “I only remember the part about the breasts, the hand on the breasts.”
The latest dossier from the Epstein files runs to nearly 1,000 pages and comes from a 2016 court case when Ms. Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation after the heiress denied her child abuse allegations. As part of that case, Ms. Giuffre made allegations about 187 of Epstein's friends and associates.
This case was settled in 2017 and the court ordered the secrecy of many files. But the Miami Herald newspaper successfully petitioned the court to publish it.
REBECCA ENGLISH: The King WILL press ahead with the plan to evict Andrew from his home at the Royal Lodge
The king will push ahead with plans to evict Prince Andrew from his Windsor mansion by the end of the year.
The Duke of York is expected to pay for the upkeep of the 30-room Royal Lodge – his home since 2003 – out of his own pocket.
But he is said to have barely answered Charles' questions about how he planned to cover the annual costs now that he is no longer a working king.
The issue was not forced as the beleaguered Duke mourned his late mother and supported his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, who also lives there, in her battle with breast cancer.
But the king, who has reportedly covered the £3million annual cost of his brother's security, does not have unlimited pockets – and royal patience appears to be running out.
Old home? Prince Andrew has lived in the 30-room Royal Lodge since 2003, but it needs costly repairs
That means Andrew, 63, will have to expect to raise the money himself, which royal insiders believe he simply doesn't have.
His Majesty is determined to move on and ask his younger brother to vacate the Royal Lodge for a smaller, more affordable and better protected property on the royal estate.
Following recent revelations about Andrew's ties to Epstein, several sources told the Mail yesterday that the royal was prepared to take decisive action regarding his brother.
An insider told the Mail: “The fact that his name appears on the… [Epstein] List will surprise no one, least of all His Majesty.
“But it will underscore the need for him to keep his own.” [Andrew’s] “Royal Retirement” status.
“No matter how much he wants to come back, this connection will just never go away.” And that's what he means [Andrew] must.'
That primarily means there will be no return to royal duties, despite recent speculation about a thaw in the prince's exiled status.
Another source with knowledge of the palace's position on the matter says that Charles “held firmly to it” long before he became king.
They added: “The Duke was always very good at dealing with his mother, the late Queen.” He quietly urged her to support him. He was her Achilles' heel and she buried her head in the sand when it came to anything that had to do with him.
“The king loves his brother and hates confrontation, but had to make a 'business' decision.”
There are no plans to strip Andrew of his HRH title, his dukedom – which his mother gave him as a wedding gift – or other honors such as the Order of the Garter.
New home? Andrew's daughter Eugenie stayed in Frogmore with her family after Harry and Meghan moved to California
However, he is banned from using HRH in public and for the past two years has been banned from attending the Garter Day procession with senior royals every June.
He is free to do private charity work if anyone wants to work with him.
The biggest remaining question mark therefore hovers over the box, the last vestige of his once-favored royal status.
The king is unable to evict his brother, whose lease on the late Queen Mother's house supposedly has another 80 years left.
But Charles can demand that maintenance be kept to a high standard – and it's clear there is a significant backlog of necessary repairs.
To date, Andrew has failed to adequately respond to requests as to how he can afford this, as well as the ongoing maintenance of the huge house and gardens.
Although the king has not taken the matter forward in recent months due to extenuating circumstances, he appears to be pushing for a solution again this year. The events of the last few days have only highlighted the importance of the matter being resolved sooner rather than later.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York arrive at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham Estate on Christmas Day
It will mean Andrew will either have to settle or get out – and no one in royal circles believes the duke can pay for it.
Charles' offer for Frogmore Cottage, the five-bedroom house where Harry and Meghan once lived, is still on the table. Not only is it smaller, more manageable and has the benefit of a recent renovation, but it is also closer to Windsor Castle's 'Ring of Steel', meaning the cost of protecting Andrew would be significantly lower.
Many say a move to Frogmore would provide Andrew with a more manageable lifestyle and greater security in the long term.
His daughter, Princess Eugenie, stayed there with her husband and two children for a short time after the keys were taken away from the Sussexes following their move to California.
However, a source close to the Duke believes he is unlikely to accept this option and wants to campaign on his behalf.
They say he even considered buying a new house outside the royal estate rather than be publicly “demoted.”