The new year brings fresh turmoil for Prince Andrew, who has reportedly “locked himself away in a room” following the resurgence of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Revelations from recently released documents have intensified the scrutiny on the Duke of York, as the legal case against Ghislaine Maxwell unfolds.
According to The Daily Express, The documents, released earlier this week as part of a defamation case brought forward by Virginia Giuffre in 2015, shed light on an order from a US court instructing Maxwell’s lawyers to search her electronic devices for any mentions of Prince Andrew. The search reportedly included terms such as ‘Prince’, ‘Andrew’, ‘Duke’, ‘York’, ‘Royal’, ‘underage’, ‘massage’, ‘slave,’ and ‘sex.’
A source close to the Duke revealed on Saturday that Prince Andrew is “reeling” from the latest claims and has chosen seclusion. The source stated, “He doesn’t have the emotional bandwidth to deal with this. He has locked himself away in a room and has no idea how to respond. He’s devastated.”
The scrutiny on Prince Andrew has intensified as details of the search, a part of the ongoing legal battle, have become public. Virginia Giuffre, the accuser, alleges that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions when she was just 17, including at Ghislaine Maxwell’s house in London in 2001.
The court documents also contain allegations that Prince Andrew was aware of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking activities, with accusations of “acts of sexual abuse” and participation in an “underage orgy.” Despite these serious claims, the Duke of York has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
The Metropolitan Police have stated that they would assess new and relevant information if it comes to their attention. The recent developments are believed to have strengthened King Charles’s resolve that Prince Andrew would not be able to return to royal duties.
In 2019, following an interview with Emily Maitlis in which Prince Andrew discussed his relationship with Epstein, he stepped down from royal duties. Subsequently, in January 2022, he was stripped of his HRH title, military titles, and royal patronages.
Since the recent revelations, questions have arisen about King Charles’s stance on his brother’s future. Reports suggest that the King feels a “duty to the late Queen” to prevent Prince Andrew from being “cut adrift.” However, conflicting reports suggest that Andrew, residing at Royal Lodge since 2002, may not be evicted due to a “cast-iron” lease securing his place.
Prince William, in contrast to his father, reportedly believes that Prince Andrew should be permanently excluded from any role within the royal family. A source claims that William holds the opinion that Andrew “should have no role with the family at all.” As the saga unfolds, the royal family faces further challenges in managing the repercussions of the Epstein scandal.
