How King Charles 'Blindsided' Prince Andrew In Heated Meeting Just Before The Queen's Death

Prince Andrew's involvement with Jeffrey Epstein changed his involvement within his royal family forever. Queen Elizabeth II's third son was stripped of his royal and military titles following the allegations against him (via the BBC).

Andrew was accused of sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre, who spoke out about the crimes committed against her by Epstein and his friends. The disgraced prince would eventually pay a settlement to Giuffre (per The Guardian).

On top of losing his titles, Andrew's patronages, or the charitable causes he brings attention to, were returned to the queen. As a patron of over 200 charities, this was a significant blow to the now-disgraced prince.

While Prince Andrew was allowed to keep the title of his royal highness, he was not allowed to use it in an official capacity. However, it appears that towards the end of Queen Elizabeth's life, Andrew was pushing to regain his royal duties. This led to a standoff between two brothers.

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).

Before Queen Elizabeth II's death, Prince Andrew was persistently trying to convince her to allow him to return to royal life, a source claims. A report from the Daily Mail shared Andrew thought there was a chance he could return to royal life, but King Charles III put a stop to it.

"A source whispers that Charles had been tipped off by the Queen's senior staff that Andrew's persistent lobbying of the ailing monarch to restore him as a 'working royal' was taking its toll," the Mail reported. "Andrew knew that if his mother didn't rehabilitate him then all hope was gone."

Eventually, Charles stepped in, though he was blindsided by his brother's actions. Another source claimed, "Naïve as it may sound, he always had hopes of regaining his position as a senior royal. At the meeting, Charles told him that he can go off and have a good life, a nice life, but that his public life as a royal is at an end."

When Charles took the throne, it was clear that he would not allow Prince Andrew to return to his previous duties (per The Guardian).