Prince Charles doesn’t see a way back to public life for Prince Andrew after Epstein scandal

A close source to the Prince of Wales says the US sex abuse scandal is now viewed as unsolvable.

Prince Charles and Prince Andrew
© Getty Images
Prince Charles and Prince Andrew

A Royal source close to the Prince of Wales said 'the Duke of York will never return to public life as a result of the US lawsuit filed against him alleging sexual offences.'

Discover our latest podcast

The source further disclosed:

Charles is of the opinion that even if Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s case against Prince Andrew fails, it serves as a stark reminder of the stain on the royal family’s reputation posed by Andrew’s ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

According to the Daily Mail, Prince Charles and Prince William are both said to have expressed serious concerns with Andrew still hesitating to publicly reply to the sex lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre this week.

The Duke of York is reportedly carrying out crisis management talks with the Queen and advisers after he was sued for allegedly ­sexually assaulting Ms Giuffrer who was under-aged at the time of the encounter. The prince has hitherto strongly denied any involvement with Ms Giuffrer.

The Mail reports that he is currently trying so hard to save what is left of his reputation, after travelling to see the Queen at Balmoral where she spends her summer holiday.

The embattled prince, who was relieved of his royal role following disclosures of a close relationship with dead convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, is currently being sued in the US.

Virginia Roberts

Ms Giuffre, who was known as Virginia Roberts, alleges she was forced to have sex with the Duke on three occasions in 2001. The prince denies ever seeing her and has even suggested a picture of them together may have been photoshopped.

A royal insider said:

The family find themselves in an extraordinarily difficult and sensitive situation given the nature of the allegations.

They are limited in what they can say publicly and now that the Duke of York is no longer a working royal they are actually rather limited in what control they can exert over the situation privately.

The Daily Mail also reveals that sources close to the prince's family 'have expressed growing frustration over the policy of continued silence'.

Royal Family: Here’s how they performed in GCSE, from Prince Charles to Kate Middleton Royal Family: Here’s how they performed in GCSE, from Prince Charles to Kate Middleton