Reports have swirled that King Charles III is prepared to cut off Prince Andrew‘s access to royal funding for the payment of his security at his Windsor Castle residence.
It comes on the heels of the disgraced prince gaining negative traction for being named in the Jeffrey Epstein list. However, the royal family is still expected to “stand beside” him in this challenging period.
Prince Andrew Might Have To Fund His Security From His Own Pocket
According to reports, Prince Andrew might soon see himself with access to royal funding to pay for his security at his Windsor Castle residence.
The Queen Mother previously occupied the Royal Lodge mansion until her death in 2002. Andrew moved into the 31-room house in 2002 with his now ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
But with Andrew being named in the Epstein document, sources close to the royal Firm are claiming that King Charles could cut off the disgraced prince’s security funding. If this happens, it means Andrew would be left with no choice but to pay for the expenses from his pocket or leave the residence.
Sources also claimed that the release of the document would further alienate Andrew from taking on a public role once again, as his “association” with Epstein “is just never going to go away.”
“When it comes to any public role for his brother, there is no way back,” an insider told the New York Post.
“There has always been an agreement that Andrew would be permitted to attend private and family events, as is his right, But not public or official ones. That has not changed,” the source added.
Royal Family ‘Will Stand Beside’ The Disgraced Prince
It comes after recent reports that the royal family “will stand beside” Andrew amid the negative traction from the Epstein dump.
“I do think that the royal family is going to stand beside him no matter what,” royal commentator Kinsey Schofield said in an interview with GB News, per New York Post. “I think that he has stressed to them that there are no more skeletons in the closet.
Schofield added, “It’s not a great look, and I do think that you are as strong as your weakest team member, and unfortunately, he’s their weakest team member. But they’re going to stand by him.”
The royal commentator also hinted at the strategy that the monarchy would apply, saying they would most likely “never complain” and “never explain.”
Prince Andrew’s Connection With Jeffrey Epstein
Prince Andrew’s connection to Jeffery Epstein first grabbed headlines in August 2021 when Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, accused him of “sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.” At the time, a picture of a 17-year-old Giuffre and a younger Andrew also came to light, seemingly lending credence to her claims.
Then, in the recent Epstein disclosure, Prince Andrew was linked to another victim, Johanna Sjoberg.
Sjoberg claimed that on one occasion at Epstein’s New York Mansion, Andrew groped her when she was instructed to take a picture with him, Maxwell, Guiffre, and a weird puppet that shared the Duke’s look.
“They decided to take a picture with [the puppet], in which Virginia and Andrew sat on a couch,” Sjoberg recalled.
She added, “They put the puppet on Virginia’s lap, and I sat on Andrew’s lap, and they put the puppet’s hand on Virginia’s breast, and Andrew put his hand on my breast, and they took a photo.”
Prince Andrew Was ‘Totally Tormented’ Prior To The Release Of The List
Prince Andrew has already faced several consequences due to his association with Epstein.
In the wake of his suit with Guiffre, his HRH (“His Royal Highness”) title was revoked, along with the removal of several patronages by the late Queen Elizabeth in 2022. He was also forced to pay a reported $14 million to settle the suit out of court.
Still, the Duke of York remained deeply troubled prior to the release of the Epstein list, perhaps fearing that more revealing details about his relationship with the late sex offender would come to light.
Sources close to him revealed that he was “totally tormented,” which raised concerns about his wellbeing among both close associates and family members.
“He is beside himself with this latest development, and everyone close to him is concerned for his mental wellbeing,” a source said at the time, per the New York Post.
“He is facing his second Christmas without his mother, and now the New Year is going to start with his name being dragged through the mud all over again,” the insider added.