By Chris Williamson-
King Charles III is considered to have taken a risk by allowing his younger brother Prince Andrew to join him and other members of the royal family for a walkabout after Christmas Day service at the St Mary Magdalene Church on the Norfolk estate this week.
Royal experts and fans were surprised to see the disgraced royal attending the Christmas Day service with King Charles, Prince Edward, Prince William, Kate Middleton and other members of the royal family as some described the moment as risk for the Firm.
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In February, Andrew paid millions of pounds to settle a US civil sex assault case brought by Virginia Giuffre but denied the allegations made against him. The settlement was made to avoid embarrassment to the royal family the same year the Queen’s jubilee was coming up .
The settlement was viewed by members of the public as a way of Prince Andrew avoiding the risk of conviction after his accuser insisted the duke had exploited her.
Sarah Hewson, Talk TV Royal Editor expressed surprise to see Prince Andrew making a public appearance and walking to church with the Royal family on Christmas day.
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Expressing her thoughts on the king’s decision, she added: “It could have gone really wrong, couldn’t it? Because you can’t control the reaction of the public,” she told Sky News host James Morrow.
The Duke of York, who has been stripped of his royal titles and patronages over his scandal, was seen mingling with some royal fans at Sandringham. Some images and clips from the gathering went viral on social media, showing Andrew getting mixed up with the crowd.
It was the first time he has been seen in pubic since the funeral of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Some people believe King Charles was gauging the reaction of the crowd to see how much leverage he may have in bringing his brother out in public.
King Charles has reportedly thrown Prince Andrew out of Buckingham Palace in a major snub to the ex-working royal. The Duke of York will never be the “royal as he once was” claims an expert.
The 62-year-old will no longer have an office at the King’s London residence, or be allowed to use it as a corresponding address, a source has said.
A source told The Sun “Any presence at the Palace is officially over.
“He is clearly on his own and may recruit his own team as he battles to be rehabilitated.
“He is still a member of the Royal Family hence his appearance.
During the family’s annual walkabout to St Mary Magdalene Church. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline: “Andrew’s appearance at the St Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham today, comes a day after it was reported that he is now not allowed to have an office in Buckingham Palace, retain a small staff or use it as an address.
In court documents, Virginia Giuffre said she was the victim of sex trafficking and abuse by Jeffrey Epstein from the age of 16.
Part of her abuse involved being lent out to other powerful men – including Prince Andrew, she alleges.
Ms Giuffre says the duke sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was under the age of 18.
The first time, she said, was in 2001 in London. In a 2019 interview with the BBC, Ms Giuffre said she was introduced to Prince Andrew by Epstein and his then-girlfriend, socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who took them to a nightclub.
Ms Giuffre recounts being told by Ms Maxwell as a 17-year-old that she had to “do for Andrew what I do for Jeffrey”.
Those claims were very damaging for Prince Andrew, whose image was ruined thereafter.
The royal family has removed all MET Police security for his brother and instead will be paying for his private protection.
According to the Telegraph the monarch will be forking out a sum of £3 million a year for his brother’s security.
Norman Baker, former Home Office minister and Privy Council member, previously said: “armed protection has always been a status symbol for the likes of Prince Andrew.”
He added: “Of course, he should pay it himself and not burden the taxpayer because he is a private individual and carries out no public duties. People like David Beckham pay for their own security so why shouldn’t Prince Andrew?”
He added: “We shouldn’t pay for Andrew’s or Harry’s security or any member of the Royal Family that carries out no public duties.”
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