King Charles 'overruled William' to welcome Andrew back into the fold
It's been reported that King Charles went against Prince William's stance by insisting that the Royal Family should reintegrate the embattled Duke of York into their ranks.
According to royal insiders, the sovereign has expressed firmly to senior members that Prince Andrew will no longer be ostracised. The monarch is said to have proposed that the Prince of Wales drive him to a church service in Scotland last Sunday.
This move, which placed Andrew alongside the future monarchs, is seen as a significant stride in the Duke's potential return to public life.
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An individual close to Balmoral suggested there was initial uncertainty about Prince Andrew's transport plans for church attendance until a last-minute phone call on Sunday. Following William and Kate's show of solidarity with Andrew being seen with him during their ride to and from the Balmoral service, a source said: "It's more than he (Andrew) could have wished for."
This overt backing marks an astonishing shift, sources say, given that both Charles and William had reportedly swayed the late Queen last year to revoke his military honours and patronages amidst the sex scandal. Prince Andrew settled the case by paying £12million to his accuser without admitting any wrongdoing and has consistently denied all accusations, reports the Mirror.
After Andrew settled with Virginia Giuffre to avoid a full trial in the US, Prince William reportedly threatened to skip a prominent royal occasion alongside his wife Kate if his uncle, Prince Andrew, participated.
Despite the Queen's wishes for the Garter Day parade at Windsor, her heirs allegedly blocked this, warning of possible "backlash" from public appearances.
A source noted that while William might join private family gatherings with his uncle, such as the one last Christmas at Sandringham, excluding the Queen's funeral and King's Coronation, he has no interest in any public association with the Duke. It's implied that William's discretion may have become more restricted, with one insider commenting, "It appears he may have had his wings clipped somewhat".
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York Central MP Rachael Maskell, who introduced a parliamentary bill to revoke Prince Andrew's Duke of York title, considers any semblance of a public comeback for him entirely "unpalatable". She stated: "Any public rehabilitation of the Duke of York is certainly not something the country as a whole would welcome at all."
Well-placed sources have disclosed how the Duke of York's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who is with the royals at Balmoral alongside Andrew and their children, has become the "life and soul" of family events. A Balmoral insider remarked that Fergie was spotted conversing with King Charles and Prince William on "several separate occasions".
The latest events suggest that Fergie may have played a pivotal role as a "broker" in her former husband's fleeting reemergence within the royal circle. Insiders have hinted that the Duke might be heartened by this familial solidarity after being sidelined from major public appearances and stripped of royal responsibilities due to his ties with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
His Majesty has reportedly held multiple discussions with Prince Andrew and resolved that while the Duke will not resume official engagements, he should still be embraced by the family. An insider stated: "The King feels he has an awful lot on his in-tray and this is one issue he wants to draw a line under."
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