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Keeping calm and carrying on! Prince Charles avoided answering a question about his younger brother Prince Andrew on Friday while out in Aberdeenshire. A Sky News reporter asked the future King, “Your Royal Highness, can I ask your view on your brother’s position, Prince Andrew?” adding, “How do you view it?”
Charles did not respond to the question. Instead, the 73-year-old continued walking and conversing with others. The reporter’s question came one day after Buckingham Palace announced that Prince Andrew’s military affiliations and royal patronages had been returned to the Queen.
In a brief statement, the palace said: “With The Queen‘s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen. The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
A source told BBC that the issue had been widely discussed with the royal family. The source also said that Andrew, 61, will no longer use the style “His Royal Highness” in any official capacity.
Earlier this week a judge denied Prince Andrew’s request to dismiss Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit. Virginia alleges that “Jeffrey Epstein and others trafficked her to Prince Andrew who took advantage of the situation by sexually abusing her when she was under the age of eighteen.” Prince Andrew has denied the allegations.
Back in 2019, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice’s father announced that he was stepping back from public duties for the foreseeable future. “It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support. Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission,” Andrew said in a statement at the time.
“I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure,” the Duke of York continued. “I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”