Inside Prince Andrew's Alleged Secret Visits To Queen Elizabeth
Saying that the royal family cares about their image would be a serious understatement, and Prince Andrew's sexual assault allegations have thrown the royal system into chaos mode.
Ever since Virginia Giuffre came forward and accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her when she was 17 — after she had been trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein — the royal family has been debating Andrew's role in the firm.
The result of this continual debate came through on Jan. 13, 2022, when Queen Elizabeth stripped Andrew of his royal and military titles. Reportedly, both Prince Charles and Prince William were key players in convincing the queen to take these measures.
But, Andrew has long held a special place in Elizabeth's heart, and he is often seen as "the favorite" child. As such, when she announced that Andrew had been rebuked, the question remained if he would still be in contact with anyone in the royal family.
Well, it turns out that he is still somewhat in the royal circle, but only in secret.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Prince Andrew was reportedly sneaking into Windsor Castle
On Feb. 15, 2022, Prince Andrew settled his lawsuit with Virginia Giuffre out of court for over $16 million.
The Sun reported that, for every day during the week of February 13, he snuck into Windsor Castle in order to visit Queen Elizabeth to discuss his "future role." It can also be assumed that they also talked about his impending settlement and how they would pay for it since the queen is allegedly going to help pay the immense amount of money.
A source close to the royal family revealed to The Sun, "Andrew has been very careful and is trying to keep out of sight. He knows there are photographers in the daytime and his best chance to avoid them is after dark."
Andrew also supposedly apologized to his mother for the cloud that his lawsuit has cast over the year of her Platinum Jubilee. "He is just so grateful for her support and it's certainly true that the queen has a soft spot for Andrew."
This may cause some rifts in the royal family because Prince Charles has allegedly been campaigning for Andrew to be banned from Windsor Castle, which is likely another reason why Andrew would visit under the cover of darkness.
Now that the queen was unfortunately diagnosed with COVID-19, will the brothers put their differences aside, or has Andrew's fall from grace been too much for Charles?
Charles moved to ban Andrew from Windsor Castle
Senior royals will likely be incensed that Prince Andrew has been sneaking around Windsor Castle since, as The Irish Sun previously reported, Prince Charles warned his brother to keep a low profile, essentially banning him from visiting their mother's home.
In fact, rumors are rife that Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, who still live at Royal Lodge, which is also located in Windsor, could soon be kicked out. They divorced in 1996 but have continued sharing a home since 2008.
Insiders claimed Andrew told Charles years ago that the Virginia Giuffre situation was nothing to worry about, reassuring his brother that it would all blow over shortly. As a result, "Charles wants Andrew out of the line of sight and out of the picture."
The source continued: "He has been warned to keep his head down. Charles does not want Andrew to be photographed every other day looking happy and waving as he is driven to the castle."
However, if he is forced to leave Windsor for good, Andrew will likely get a huge payout. At the same time, the insider revealed, "he has made it clear that he will hang on for dear life."
It's thought that Prince William, wife Kate Middleton, and their three children are looking to move into Royal Lodge themselves. Charles has transitioned into a more influential role since the death of Prince Philip, so his beleaguered brother's time might soon be up.
Charles encouraged Andrew to settle with Virginia Giuffre
Although the relationship between Prince Charles and Prince Andrew has understandably soured, it was Charles who ultimately convinced his brother to settle his sex abuse case out of court.
It's no secret that the Prince of Wales thought Andrew standing trial was a bad idea, and, according to the Evening Standard, he fought hard to finally bring an end to the lawsuit to prevent causing any further damage to the royal family's reputation.
Andrew was intending to attempt to publicly clear his name, but Charles, supported by their mother, convinced him it would be better to settle with Virginia Giuffre instead. That means no civil trial will take place, and, crucially, Andrew won't be forced to provide evidence under oath or in front of a jury.
There was considerable concern that he would embarrass the family further, particularly following Andrew's infamous 2019 TV interview, which just made things worse.
"The Prince of Wales and the Queen could not countenance another disastrous appearance by the Duke of York, in light of his BBC interview," according to an insider. "Decisive action was needed. There was little choice. He had to see sense."
Another senior source revealed that the idea of Andrew appearing in court reportedly filled his family "with dread." They've already cut him off, after refusing to support Andrew fighting his case in court.
The disgraced royal has since agreed to make a sizeable donation to his accuser's abuse charity instead.