Prince Andrew Is Reportedly Planning To Escort The Queen To Another Event Despite Backlash
Ever since sexual assault allegations surfaced against Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth has been steadily distancing herself and the rest of the royal family from him. As The Sun confirmed at the time, Andrew was stripped of his royal titles and honorary military patronages personally by the queen, who called her son to Windsor for an emergency meeting.
The beleaguered royal is also prohibited from using "His Royal Highness" in any official capacity going forward. However, earlier this week, royal watchers were quick to notice a social media gaffe that suggested Andrew has continued doing so regardless.
The duke was forced to face his lawsuit in the United States as a private citizen, including footing all legal bills accordingly. After agreeing to pay off accuser Virginia Giuffre, rather than going to trial, there was reason to believe Andrew may even have to give up his luxury Swiss chalet.
An insider confirmed that various members of the monarchy were involved in deciding whether or not to publicly strip the prince of his titles, due to ongoing concern over causing further embarrassment to their family.
Naturally, then, when Andrew accompanied the queen to the memorial for her late husband, Prince Philip, several commentators were confused about the message the royals were trying to send. As a piece in The Guardian argued, was the move an attempt to restore his image with the public?
Although there's speculation that the royals regret including Andrew in the event, he's set to chaperone the queen again shortly.
Prince Andrew is slated to accompany his mother to the Derby
Queen Elizabeth is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year, and, per The Sun, her disgraced son will be accompanying the matriarch to the Derby over the big celebratory weekend. Elizabeth's champion horse, Reach for the Moon, is actually favored to win the event.
An insider claimed that Prince Andrew is slated to chaperone her in June because it's unlikely he can risk being seen at a more high-profile event, like Trooping the Color. Andrew's mother "needs a chaperone on all occasions at the moment due to her mobility issues," and he's stepped up to take her to the Epsom race as a result.
Moreover, the duke doesn't understand why everyone is so mad about him showing up in the first place.
In fact, the queen reportedly called the shots about Andrew's involvement in Prince Philip's memorial, ensuring her son accompanied her because they remain very close. As The Guardian notes, it was the shamed royal's first public appearance since settling his sexual abuse lawsuit out of court for an unspecified (but likely substantial) sum.
At the memorial, Andrew accompanied his mother from Windsor to Westminster Abbey, where she clutched his elbow as they entered the building together. Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt was among those who criticized the move for putting the spotlight on Andrew, arguing he could've sat quietly with the rest of the congregation rather than taking center stage.
The queen was pressured to publicly punish her son
Per The Guardian, Prince Andrew agreed to pay a settlement thought to be worth around $15 million to his accuser, Virginia Giuffre's, abuse charity in order to finally put her accusations that he assaulted her as a teenager to rest.
NBC News notes that, by stripping her son of his royal titles and patronages, Queen Elizabeth was attempting to do some damage control as the case continued to gain traction.
"It's quite brutal in many ways — the queen is really putting a foot down and saying this cannot continue," said David McClure, a royal commentator and author. "It has become tremendously damaging in terms of the reputation of the whole monarchy."
The long-reigning leader lost her grandson Prince Harry, who defected the royal family in 2020, and her husband in quick succession. She was under significant pressure to strip Andrew of his honorary military titles. In particular, veterans took the disgraced royal's continued use of such distinctions as a major insult.
Andrew has long maintained his innocence in the Giuffre case, but it seems the damage has been done. However, despite the ongoing controversy surrounding him, his mother remains in his corner. In fact, Andrew is even enjoying alleged secret visits with the queen.