THE Queen stripped Prince Andrew of his title because she feared not doing so would DESTROY the royal family, it has been claimed.
The Duke of York was sensationally STRIPPED of his military & HRH honours by the Queen amid his sex assault scandal.
The bombshell news was announced by Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening – just days after a US judge ruled the abuse claims against him should go to trial.
The Queen felt she had no choice but to make the "ruthless and swift" decision for the good of the Royal Family as an institution, the Daily Mail reported.
Her Majesty is said to have "widely discussed" what to do with Andrew with her family, with Prince Charles and Prince William said to be "instrumental" in influencing the final decision she arrived at on Wednesday.
Prince Andrew was summoned for a 90-minute meeting with the Queen at Windsor Castle yesterday, driven there by his personal lawyer Gary Bloxsome who was reportedly unable to enter the building and was forced to wait in the car.
Read our Royal Family live blog for the latest news and updates…
- Milica Cosic
Andrew 'tried to bring lawyer' to summit
It is reported that Prince Andrew attempted to bring his personal lawyer to the summit this week, where he was was summoned to meet The Queen and the outcome signalled the end of public royal life for him.
He was driven to Windsor Castle by his brief Gary Bloxsome, but he was swiftly told he would not be allowed inside with him.
Instead, he waited outside in the car, the Daily Mail reports.
The involvement of Mr Bloxsome may indicate Andrew had been taking legal advice before facing his mum in Windsor Castle.
- Milica Cosic
Five challenges Prince Andrew faces
The tightly-written 42-word missive from Her Majesty will likely result in the Duke of York fading from public life forever.
Many will be wondering what happens next for the 61-year-old as speculation rages that he's facing financial hardship – and sources claim he's already planning a route back to public life.
Here are five possibilities for his future.
- A comeback
- His titles – including relinquish his dukedom.
- Split from Charles and William
- Prince Philip's memorial – including the possibility that he may not even have the opportunity to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day
- Family stand by him
Read more here.
- Louis Allwood
Harry sues UK claiming it’s ‘unsafe’ for his family to return without police bodyguards
The Sussexes were stripped of their round-the-clock protection when they stepped back from royal duties two years ago.
Now Harry wants to bring his son Archie and baby daughter Lilibet to visit from the US, but he and his family are "unable to return to his home" because it is too dangerous, a legal representative said.
A legal representative for the duke said: "Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life.
“He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats.
"While his role within the institution has changed, his profile as a member of the royal family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family.
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK. In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home.”
- Louis Allwood
Timeline of shame (Continued…)
BOXING DAY: Andrew left alone in Royal Lodge as Fergie and his daughters go on Swiss ski trip.
BOXING DAY TO JANUARY 1: Charles seeks counsel with son William at Sandringham who gives his backing to strip Andrew of titles.
DECEMBER 29: Ghislaine Maxwell found guilty.
JANUARY 4: Andrew’s application to dismiss case heard in New York.
JANUARY 12: Judge throws out the motion and orders a full sex abuse trial.
JANUARY 13: By now, Charles and William have told the Queen Andrew must go. He is summoned to see her at Windsor and, as we reported above, is stripped of most titles
- Louis Allwood
Timeline of shame
AUGUST 9, 2021: Virginia Giuffre launches sex abuse claim against Andrew.
SEPTEMBER 18: Prince Andrew misses birth of granddaughter while hiding at Balmoral from US lawyers trying to serve writ.
OCTOBER 30: Duke’s legal team calls his accuser a “money-hungry sex kitten”.
NOVEMBER 30: Her lawyers accuse Andrew of trying to “victim shame” her.
DECEMBER: Prince Charles decides Prince Andrew must be stripped of titles.
CHRISTMAS DAY: Royals, including Andrew, spend the day with the Queen at Windsor Castle.
- Louis Allwood
Three options left for Andrew
Andrew has discovered he will face a civil trial by jury after attempting to have the case dismissed on a technicality.
He now has just three options remaining to him – with a grim choice between facing accuser Virginia Giuffre in court, paying out a £10million settlement or refusing to engage altogether.
Andrew vehemently denies any wrongdoing.
It's claimed he fears financial ruin after his mother announced he'll face the trial as a private citizen.
As well as any potential settlement, his legal fees have already topped £2million.
- Louis Allwood
The Queen was right to get rid of Andrew
This is a comment piece by Karren Brady
THIS is the year the Queen – and country – should be focusing on her Platinum Jubilee.
But instead of celebrating the incredible milestone of becoming the first British monarch to mark 70 years on the throne, she is facing another annus horribilis.
Her Majesty has already started 2022 by making a choice that no mother would want to face.
Prince Andrew has always been her favourite.
He was once the swashbuckling Navy hero who would entertain her with bawdy tales of adventure on the high seas.
But today he is an excruciating embarrassment. A podgy, pointless and prickly prince.
The allegations against the Duke of York could not have come at a worse time as we navigate an ocean of woke views, still rocking in the wake of the Me Too movement.
Prince Andrew’s friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and child trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, along with claims that he slept with 17-year-old Virginia Roberts — now known by her married name Giuffre — could prove a fatal anchor that drags the monarchy into the cold depths.
And that is why the Queen has had to cut him loose.
- Louis Allwood
Shooting party at Andrew's mansion
Sources say his dire situation has now dawned on him, with one telling The Sun on Sunday: “The penny has finally dropped.”
But despite his angst, around a dozen family friends were hosted on Friday night at his 31-room Royal Lodge home before going on a shoot at Windsor Great Park.
It was believed to have been a Christmas present from the Queen to Princess Eugenie, 31, and her husband Jack, 35, who invited along family friends.
Andrew, 61, and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, 62, did not go on the shoot itself, but drove their Range Rover to join the shooting party for lunch at the York Club, a social venue, two miles away.
A source said: “It seems quite brazen of Andrew to host a party and let his family go shooting with all the controversy raging.”
- Louis Allwood
June 28 Maxwell will find out her fate
Brit socialite Maxwell, 60, is now facing spending the rest of her life in prison after being convicted of five out of six counts of sex trafficking for vile Epstein’s paedophile ring.
Maxwell helped entice vulnerable teenagers to Epstein's various properties for him to sexually abuse between 1994 and 2004.
On the final day of the trial in December, Assistant US Attorney Alison Moe summed up the prosecution case against Maxwell, who she said was a "grown woman who preyed on vulnerable kids”.
The prosecutor said Maxwell was a “sophisticated predator who knew exactly what she was doing” who “ran the same playbook again and again and again”.
“She manipulated her victims and groomed them. She caused deep and lasting harm to young girls,” Moe said.
As the verdict was handed down by a jury of six women and six men, Maxwell – branded "dangerous" by the prosecution – showed little emotion.
She will now find out her sentence on June 28, 2022.
- Louis Allwood
Royal family still dealing with Sussexes departure
Royal expert Robert Jobson believes that the royal family are still feeling the impact of the hole left by the Sussexes, especially since Andrew was forced to step down.
He told the Mirror: "Two years on front the Sandringham summit the dust has settled over Harry and Meghan’s decision to quit as full time royals.
"So much has changed, but one thing is certain – the Sussexes’ departure has left the Monarchy in a worse position."
Robert continued to comment how in the long term the royals will feel the full effect of what has happened in the last couple of years, saying: "But long term it will be William and his wife, Catherine, who will carry the heavy burden of making the Crown relevant.
"This year promises to be especially difficult for the queen."
He added: "For William and Catherine, however, the shining star stars of the monarchy, there is no respite.
"With Meghan and Harry out of the picture, the spotlight is on them and the extra workload too."
- Louis Allwood
Harry's outburst 'predicted his royal future'
Two years ago, Prince Harry faced his family for crunch talks on his future with Meghan Markle – in what became known as the Sandringham Summit.
At the summit, Harry met with the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William to negotiate his and Meghan's exit from the Firm.
And the outcome of those talks had eerily been predicted by Harry decades earlier during a childhood argument with Prince William, where the pair were travelling from London to Gloucester.
The incident was overheard by Ken Wharfe, a long-serving protection officer to the royals.
Ken said that: "Harry out of nowhere said: 'William, one day you’ll be king, I won’t, it doesn’t matter therefore I can do what I like'."
- Louis Allwood
“I believe this is the end of Andrew"
A source close to Andrew said he will battle on in his civil case with Virginia Giuffre who claims she was sexually abused when aged 17.
The source insisted: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and the Duke will continue to defend himself against these claims.”
Last night, the Queen’s ex-press secretary Dickie Arbiter said: “I believe this is the end of Andrew. I don’t believe there is a way back.
“It was clear the Queen was waiting for the judge’s ruling.
“It is the right decision and an inevitable one. It would have been difficult for the Queen. She is a mother but also Head of State.”
- Louis Allwood
He will not lose his security detail
It's been confirmed that he will not lose his security detail, which costs £300,000 a year.
A royal source told the Mirror: "Until very recently it appears the absolute enormity of this case and the consequences he faces has not hit him.
"Now the bills are mounting up and the possibility of a settlement, or even worse a judgement against him, is being widely discussed; he fears complete financial ruin.
"There is a very real prospect of him being completely broke."
- Louis Allwood
Andrew's fears
The Duke of York – who has now lost his royal and military titles – is allegedly fearing financial ruin as he continues to battle Virginia Giuffre’s sex abuse claims.
He allegedly told his closest confidants he fears being left insolvent in addition to being an outcast from his family, the Mirror reported.
A royal source said: “Until very recently it appears the absolute enormity of this case and the consequences he faces has not hit him.
“Now the bills are mounting up and the possibility of a settlement, or even worse a judgement against him, is being widely discussed; he fears complete financial ruin.
“Andrew thought, indeed he was advised that this would all go away in time and neither has happened, leaving him facing an extraordinary uphill battle to even salvage any crumb of his reputation.
“There is a very real prospect of him being completely broke.”
- Louis Allwood
Barred from using 'His Royal Highness' title
The Queen made the decision to strip Andrew of his HRH title on Wednesday after a meeting with Charles and the Duke of Cambridge.
The bombshell decision was made after New York judge Lewis Kaplan ruled Andrew must face a civil trial on allegations he sexually abused Ms Giuffre.
Andrew will now have to face his trial as an "ordinary citizen."
Her Majesty's third child is also barred from using 'His Royal Highness' in any official capacity, and his military titles were revoked in the sensational decision.
- Louis Allwood
Royal roundup
- It's claimed Andrew's brusque removal from his public-facing role as a royal is a victory for Prince Charles
- Piers Morgan warns Andrew “far worse is to come” after the “utter humiliation” of his relegation
- The Duke faces the further humiliating prospect of being kicked out of his 31-bedroom Georgian mansion and losing his police protection
- The Queen is reportedly following the same model as Megxit
- But Her Majesty is "heartbroken" over the sex abuse scandal that has divided the family
Daughters will NOT be forced to take stand
BEATRICE, Eugenie and their mother Sarah Ferguson will not be forced to take the stand in Prince Andrew's sex abuse case, lawyers say.
Sources close to the royals say they'd been braced for the family – and in particular Beatrice, 33 – to be called as key witnesses.
During a car crash Newsnight interview in 2019, Andrew claimed he was at Pizza Express in Woking with Beatrice on the night at the centre of claims against him.
However, in a surprise move last night, legal counsel for accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre say they only plan to seek depositions from two British witnesses, the Telegraph reports.
Robert Olney, the Duke’s former equerry, and Shukri Walker, who claims to have seen Andrew at Tramp nightclub in London on the night he is alleged to have forced Ms Giuffre to have sex with him, will be called.
Andrew will claim rape accuser Virginia ‘recruited girls for Epstein’
The Duke of York – who has now lost his royal and military titles – is fighting a sex abuse case filed by Virginia Roberts Giuffre as a "private citizen".
She alleges she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times when she was 17 – claims the 61-year-old has always strongly denied.
But after a judge throw out Andrew's bid to have the civil case dismissed, his lawyers have accused Ms Giuffre of helping recruit underage girls for disgraced financier Epstein, documents lodged with the New York court show.
Andrew alleges Ms Giuffre's claims are “an effort to deflect from her own participation in Epstein’s sex-trafficking scheme, including by recruiting young women (including at least one 14-year-old girl) to become sexual partners for Epstein”.
And his lawyers want to question Ms Giuffre's husband and psychologist as witnesses part of his defence.
They have requested to talk to Dr Judith Lightfoot over Ms Giuffre's claims to have suffered "severe emotional distress and psychological harm" as a result of her alleged ordeal.
Andrew’s murky £15m sale of royal house should face ‘dirty money’ probe, says MP's
The Duke of York is already in hot water as he faces a rape lawsuit for allegedly abusing a 17-year-old girl and has had his military titles and royal patronages stripped from him.
And now senior MPs have called for a probe for his financial links to the former Soviet state as the ruling regime cracks down on protesters with help from Vladimir Putin.
The Duke of York sold his and Sarah Ferguson's former six bedroom love nest Sunninghill Park in 2007 for £15m to billionaire oligarch Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of the former Kazakh dictator Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Andrew is known to have been pals and even gone goose hunting with Nazarbayev.
The price paid for the garish property was £3million over the asking price – raising may eyebrows.
MPs said they fear the sale could be an example of "dirty" Kazakh money from the ruthless regime finding its way into Britain while Andrew was working as a trade envoy for the UK.
No wrongdoing over the sale has ever been established – and the Palace has previously insisted there were "no side deals" and the sale was a "straight commercial transaction".
Birthday message to sister-in-law
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made sure to send their regards to sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, on her 40th birthday earlier this month and an expert has claimed that it was a very ‘private moment’.
“They did a video call,” royal expert Christopher Andersen exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, January 11.
“They wished her a happy birthday. [It was] very private.”
He explained that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex publicly displayed “their affection” for Kate on her 38th birthday in 2020, but things have since changed between the couple and the rest of the royal family.
“This time everything was kept private,” Andersen added.
Sarah Ferguson will continue to use title
Despite divorcing Andrew in 1996, Fergie will be allowed to continuing using the title until she marries someone else, at which point she would lose it.
She is “to remain the Duchess of York” even after Prince Andrew was stripped of his HRH titles and honours by the Queen.
Friends of Sarah told the Daily Mail: “That has been her title since their divorce and that is how it will stay.
“Andrew is still the Duke of York, so it is not an issue.”
- Louis Allwood
Royal refusal
The Prince of Wales refused to answer questions about his younger brother’s position as he toured a storm-lashed country estate the day after the Duke of York was stripped of his honorary military titles and gave up his HRH style.
On Thursday evening, Buckingham Palace announced the Duke of York’s military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen.
The move came after a judge in America threw out Andrew’s motion to dismiss a civil sexual assault case against him, and ruled it can go to trial.
Charles, who is the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, was pressed on the issue by a reporter as he he met people involved in the clear-up operation after Storm Arwen in the north east of Scotland.
A reporter asked him for his view on Andrew’s position – but the Prince of Wales ignored the question, and went on to shake hands with some of those he was there to meet in the storm-hit country estate.
- Milica Cosic
Fergie's been a 'shoulder to cry on'
The Queen issued a statement on Thursday revealing that Prince Andrew has been effectively banished by the Royal Family, with little chance of a return to public life.
Phil Dampier told Sun Online: "I don't think he and Fergie will remarry – she's very loyal and supportive, but they're not romantically involved any more and I don't think they have been.
"Clearly, however, she's been a shoulder to cry on."
Fergie lives in a wing of Royal Lodge, despite the former couple's divorce.
She's also been publicly supportive of Andrew.
While their daughters Eugenie and Beatrice have made no public statement on their father, it's understood that – while deeply shaken by the allegations made against him – they are also supportive.
- Milica Cosic
Andrew and Fergie seen together for first time
PRINCE Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have been seen together for the first time since he was sensationally stripped of his royal titles this week.
The former couple looked pensive as they were seen driving away from their shared home in Windsor – after it was revealed Charles and William spent Christmas planning to axe the Duke.
Andrew, who was at the wheel of the Range Rover, was wearing a pullover and a yellow shirt with an open collar, while Fergie, in a knitted hat, appeared to be talking to him.
Their car was being closely followed by another 4×4, driven by members of the prince's police protection squad.
The sighting comes amid one of Andrew's most challenging weeks yet.
Prince Andrew was spotted with former wife Sarah Ferguson this week amid one of the royal's toughest-ever weeksCredit: LNP - Milica Cosic
Johanna Sjoberg as a witness in Andrew's trial
Epstein’s former personal assistant Johanna Sjoberg has claimed the Duke groped her breast when she was 21 years old while she sat on a sofa with him and Ms Giuffre.
Court documents revealed Andrew allegedly touched the Florida hairdresser, 41, as they posed for a picture.
In her testimony in 2016, she said Andrew and Ms Giuffre were sat on a couch with a Spitting Image puppet on her lap.
She said: “And so then I sat on Andrew’s lap – and I believe on my own volition – and they took the puppet’s hands and put it on Virginia’s breast, and so Andrew put his on mine.”
Ms Sjoberg, an American, alleged the incident happened at the New York home of his deceased paedo pal Epstein, according to court papers.
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