Prince Andrew is accused of trying to maintain his influence within the British Royal Family by using his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, as “providers” of information, according to sources cited by British media. The situation would have amplified the already existing tensions with Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, in the context in which Andrew is forced to leave his residence at the Royal Lodge, notes radaronline.com.
The 65-year-old former Duke of York has begun vacating the Windsor estate, where he lived for 22 years, after King Charles III asked him to leave. Andrew is to temporarily relocate while his new residence, Marsh Farm, is renovated. The decision comes amid his isolation from the monarchy’s public life following the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Although publicly Princesses Beatrice (37) and Eugenie (35) have appeared to distance themselves from their father, sources close to the Royal Family claim that privately the two daughters have consistently supported him. According to a source close to the Royal House, Prince Andrew is relying on them more than ever to find out what is going on in the family, which has raised suspicions.
“Andrew increasingly leans on Beatrice and Eugenie to stay connected to the family dynamic. There are fears that they have become, even unintentionally, purveyors of information, and this has bred mistrust.” the source said.
This situation would have angered Princess Catherine, who is known for her discretion, but who, according to those close to her, is deeply frustrated.
“Kate rarely expresses her anger in public, but privately the tension has reached a breaking point. The idea that Andrew continues to be around, even indirectly, is extremely disturbing to her and William.” a source close to the Wales family said.
The discontent is closely linked to efforts by Prince William and Kate Middleton to rehabilitate the image of the monarchy after years of scandals.
“Kate has invested enormously in restoring public trust in the institution. From her perspective, any re-emergence of Andrew, even through his daughters, seriously undermines that work.”another relative added.
Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein represents one of the worst crises in the recent history of the Royal House. Although Andrew has consistently denied the allegations, in 2014 he was accused by Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. The civil suit ended in 2022 with a settlement of about $15 million, without Andrew admitting guilt.
Giuffre, who took her own life last year aged 41, reiterated the allegations in a memoir published after her death, claiming that Ghislaine Maxwell, sentenced to 20 years in prison, had facilitated meetings with Prince Andrew.
Although King Charles has stripped him of his official titles and roles, Palace sources say Andrew has not fully accepted his marginalization and is still trying to stay connected to the power center of the British monarchy.
