Royal Expert Explains Why King Charles' Latest Role Should Have Been Given To Prince Andrew
On November 14, 2022, King Charles III celebrated his 74th birthday — his first spent on the throne, per CNN. According to the BBC, the king was expected to spend the day quietly, taking a break from royal engagements. Festivities to honor the monarch's birthday took place in London, including a performance of "Happy Birthday" by the band of the Household Cavalry outside Buckingham Palace, as well as multiple gun salute ceremonies across the city.
To commemorate the occasion, the palace announced on the royal family's official website that King Charles will take on a new role as the Ranger of Windsor Great Park. Accompanying the announcement was a photograph of the king leaning against a tree at the park in question.
The role is deeply rooted in tradition, having first been filled by Sir Henry Neville in 1559. More recently, Prince Philip held the ranger title from 1952 until his death last year (via the Daily Mail). On its website, Buckingham palace noted that King Charles isn't the first sovereign to become the Ranger of Windsor Great Park. However, one royal expert thinks the role should've been given to Prince Andrew, instead.
The role could have kept Prince Andrew out of the public eye
Prince Andrew's scandal has left his place in the royal family in jeopardy, and he has since been stripped of most of his titles and duties, according to Reuters. Though he was once said to be Queen Elizabeth II's favorite son, he's now the British public's least favorite royal family member, according to a YouGov poll.
The disgraced royal made headlines in September 2022 when he made a rare appearance at the queen's funeral. While he was banned from wearing his military uniform, his admittance to the funeral procession and other appearances after the queen's death still drew criticism, per The Independent.
After his scandals, some believe that Prince Andrew is best kept out of the spotlight. That's why royal journalist Richard Eden says the ranger role given to King Charles III would have been perfect for the Duke of York. "This could have been a good job for #PrinceAndrew, who lives at Windsor. It would have kept him out of the public eye while giving him a worthwhile private #royal role," Eden tweeted.
Many Twitter users disagreed with Eden's assertion, however. One user tweeted in response, "[Andrew] needs to just stay quiet and away," while another argued that the role was fit for the king, writing, "Charles has always had a keen interest in land stewardship. I'm not aware that Andrew has ever shown any significant interest."