Prince Charles ‘in charge’ as the Queen plans to ‘retire’ at 95
As the royal family deals with the disastrous fallout of Prince Andrew’s behaviour, king-in-waiting Charles is all but running the show as the Queen plans to step away.
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- Prince Andrew makes compelling argument for republic
- Duke of York digs himself deeper with disastrous interview
If it wasn’t Prince Charles who actually pulled the trigger to sack wayward brother Andrew in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, he certainly loaded the gun.
It was left to the Queen to deliver the ultimate coup de grace last week, banning the Duke of York from royal duties, possibly forever.
And the axing of her favourite son signalled what could be her last major act of a reign that is fast coming to a close with typical quiet dignity, reports The Sun.
Now Charles, as king-in-waiting, is the one effectively pulling the strings to protect the Crown.
On Tuesday, the 71-year-old flew back to the UK from a successful tour of New Zealand to take control of a royal family at breaking point.
His key role in Andrew’s brutal removal is the latest indication of a transition process from mother to son — from Charles as Prince of Wales to king — that has been happening for some time.
The Queen is 93, and although sources say, officially, “regime change” and “regency” are banned words, there is a recognition that she cannot go on forever.
The Queen will be 95 in 18 months — the age at which Prince Philip withdrew from public life — and there is renewed talk behind palace walls she will then as good as “retire”.
Charles took her place at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday and is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda next year.
Gradually, while still being very hands-on, the Queen has cut down the amount of investitures she does, spending longer weekends at Windsor and reducing her public duties.
In 2018 she completed 283 engagements, down from 332 in 2016, while Charles undertook 507. Charles has stepped up, the king in all but name.
A well-placed royal source reportedly told The Sun: “Planning for Charles to become king has been going on for some time. A transition is plainly already underway. Her Majesty is in her nineties and can understandably only do so much.
The scandal surrounding Andrew and Epstein gave Charles an opportunity to step in to show that he can run The Firm. Noone is bigger than the institution of the royal family. Not even Andrew, the Queen’s favourite son.
“Charles recognised that and acted decisively — like the king he may well soon be. This was the moment when Charles stepped up as Prince Regent, the Shadow King.”
Charles wants to use his new increased power to create a slimmed-down monarchy, bad news for Andrew and his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie.
But it is clear that while there are problems over Harry and Meghan’s future role, Charles is consulting closely with William over the future direction of the monarchy.
The source added: “Charles has had discussions with William. They both know what he wants to do with the kingship. There’s no doubt Charles will also be pulling Prince Harry and Meghan into line once they return from their private break.”
Courtiers say Charles’ crucial role in the Andrew saga was the moment he began to take control.
Despite being in New Zealand, he immediately recognised the damage day after day of headlines about his brother and the US billionaire paedophile were doing.
But as Buckingham Palace dithered, and with the Queen placed under enormous pressure without Prince Philip at her side, Charles acted. As Charles and Camilla landed in Auckland, the now notorious Andrew interview had yet to be screened.
When they heard that Virginia Roberts Giuffre — who claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew aged 17 and appears in a photo with him — had given an interview to BBC’s Panorama, they panicked.
Talks between the York camp and Newsnight were hurriedly brought forward, with Princess Beatrice helping her father. Andrew would try to get in first, to explain why he had visited Epstein in 2010, two years after the financier’s conviction for sex with a child, and say he had “no knowledge” of meeting Roberts.
Now questions were being asked of the Queen’s judgment in allowing him to do the interview. Was she too old, at 93, to lead the country when she couldn’t even control her own family? Was the long-reported preferential treatment of her second son to blame?
Royal watchers wondered if she had lost her grip. Ultimately, horrified by this body blow to the monarchy, Charles spoke by secure telephone to his mother.
Sources close to Charles say he did not speak to his brother directly, but made it clear to Buckingham Palace officials that he and the Queen were in agreement that, “this has to be done”.
EXILE ‘OFFICIAL’
Meanwhile, Andrew’s exile has become official with his notable absence from a reception with world leaders at a NATO summit in London next week.
Buckingham Palace announced earlier this week that the Queen would host leaders, with US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expected to attend.
The red carpet will be rolled out for NATO country leaders and their partners as part of the alliance’s 70th anniversary celebrations.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, will be there, and the Queen’s cousin, the Duke of Gloucester, also got the call up.
With Prince Harry and Meghan on leave, this would have been one of Andrew’s highlights of the year.
But he has been frozen out following his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his incredulous explanations about their relationship in a television interview.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the snub in a statement.
“Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by other Members of the Royal Family, will host a reception for NATO leaders, spouses or partners, and delegations, at Buckingham Palace to mark 70 years of the NATO alliance,” the palace said.
“The Queen, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will formally receive the NATO leaders and their partners. This will be followed by a group photograph of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness with the Heads of State and Government.”
The statement then listed the roll call of royals invited, leaving Andrew out.
“The Queen, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duchess of Cambridge, The Earl of Wessex, The Princess Royal, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra will welcome the guests in the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace,” the statement said.
The Queen put on a brave face on Tuesday as she opened a new building for stamp collectors of the Royal Philatelic Society as it celebrated its 150th anniversary.
There was a stony silence when she arrived, but the Queen managed to put people at ease despite the scandal engulfing the royal family.
“You’re all terribly silent. I hope you’re enjoying this new space?” the Queen said.
It comes after Princess Beatrice visited her at Windsor Castle following the train wreck interview by her father.
She was set to marry her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020, however the scandal has put a cloud over the upcoming wedding.
Andrew, who has been forced into early retirement and had his 60th birthday party cancelled, was said to have pulled the wool over his mother’s eyes after telling her that the interview had gone well before it aired.
Sources close to the Queen have rejected suggestions the monarch had sanctioned the TV chat, which raised more questions than answers.
Andrew has been accused of having sex with Cairns-based woman Virginia Roberts Giuffre three times when she was 17, while she claims she was kept as Epstein’s sex slave.
Andrew has denied the pair met, despite a photograph of him with his arm around her waist from that period.
In a series of Twitter posts, Giuffre suggested that Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former lover, should be jailed
I’ll believe it when I see it!! Does anyone honestly believe that the truth will be spoken- ever? I say lock em’ all up & throw away the key! All we’re going to hear are lies, lies & oh- more lies!! ⛓🦋 https://t.co/0pJr27tsrZ
— Virginia Giuffre (@VRSVirginia) November 25, 2019
Well said- keep putting pressure on the authorities to hold each and everyone who participated, enabled or knew & did nothing accountable No more charades, or games-time to start locking ALL the predators up!! They put us in chains now it’s their turn! 🦋 ⛓ https://t.co/ibbjid3mKj
— Virginia Giuffre (@VRSVirginia) November 25, 2019
ANDREW IGNORED FERGIE, BEATRICE’S ADVICE
It comes as Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and their daughter Princess Beatrice reportedly tried to talk him out of the car crash interview.
It is claimed they cautioned him about doing the program while his then private secretary Amanda Thirsk believed it could draw a line under the Duke’s link to the wealthy paedophile.
A source reportedly told the Daily Mail: “Princess Beatrice and Sarah both advised Andrew against going ahead with the interview.
“However, he paid too much attention to Amanda, who was encouraging him, saying it would clear his name.”
A close pal of Beatrice insists she “wasn’t part of the decision-making process”.
They add: “Bea went to one meeting with the BBC. That’s all.”
This contradicts earlier reports that Fergie and Beatrice were pressing him to do the interview.
It’s understood they were visiting the Queen and Prince Philip who have been there this weekend.
Her Majesty was also seen yesterday being driven from the castle.
Dad Andrew was also spotted there on Friday riding with the Queen as the storm over his Epstein links escalates.
Beatrice, 31, and Eugenie, 29, are reportedly “deeply distressed” after their under-fire father was forced to quit his royal duties.
But insiders say the loyal duchesses have backed Andrew, who has strongly denied any wrongdoing, and promised to “keep calm and carry on”.
The princesses – who are not working royals and have days jobs – have been “extremely resolute” in supporting their dad.
A source has also said Fergie will be concerned about “how his resignation impacts their children’s future”.
It comes just days after the duke was forced to move his office from Buckingham Palace, and after he was sacked from royal duties.
The Duke of York was told that he would have to clear his staff and find a new office to continue his work elsewhere.
The duke will no longer receive his $A472,000 Sovereign Grant allowance that funds expenses for his official duties, such as travel. But he will receive his income from the Queen’s private funds.
Meanwhile, Beatrice and fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are said to be “reining in” their wedding plans.
The Mail Online report that the happy couple could opt for something “low key” instead, while the fallout from Andrew’s controversial interview earlier this month continues.
A source said: “It will be more low key. Bea and Edo are happy for their wedding to get less attention.”
And the Queen was seen at a function just 24 minutes after the Palace released Andrew’s bombshell statement on stepping down.
It followed days of media scrutiny after his attempts to defend himself in Saturday’s disastrous Newsnight interview were derided.
A royal source said: “The Queen was privately very disappointed with Prince Andrew, despite the public efforts to rally round.
“It’s wrong to think that she just accepted his version of events, that the interview had gone well and there was nothing to worry about.
“She saw the fallout and was very unhappy. She has spent her whole life protecting the monarchy and in just one week her son’s actions threatened to tear it apart.
“Something had to be done to draw a line under all of this.”
PRINCE ANDREW ACCUSER TO REVEAL SORDID DETAILS
A Cairns-based woman who has accused Prince Andrew of having sex with her when she was just 17 is set to reveal new details, as the disgraced royal faces a showdown with an enraged Prince Charles.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, 35, says notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell forced her to have sex with the Duke of York three times between 1999 and 2002.
Prince Andrew says he cannot recall ever meeting Ms Roberts Giuffre.
A damaging new interview from Ms Giuffre will air on the BBC on December 2. It comes as Charles has teamed up with son and heir Prince William to cut off Andrew and protect the monarchy from any more damage.
The two are also reportedly planning to “slim down” the monarchy and deny any royal duties to Andrew’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie in coming years.
Royal commentator Penny Junor said the Prince of Wales has cemented his role as the Queen’s enforcer and showing how he will deal with troublesome family members like Andrew when he is on the throne himself.
“We know now that the Prince of Wales can flex his muscles,” she said.
“The Queen is 93 after all … Prince Philip used to be the one she relied on to whip the family into line. Charles is taking on that job.
“Charles’ voice is being heard at the palace and this week shows he’s in charge now.”
Buckingham Palace is reportedly bracing for more damaging allegations from Ms Roberts Giuffre against the Duke – who has already been forced to retire from public life, resign from his pet projects and move his office out of the Queen’s official residence.
Ms Roberts Giuffre will reiterate her allegations that she was raped by Prince Andrew three times in London, New York and on Epstein’s private island where he is believed to have abused dozens of underage girls.
Prince Andrew has denied any allegations against him.
The Duke made bizarre claims in a trainwreck interview with the BBC that one of the alleged incidents could not have taken place because he was at a Pizza Express chain restaurant, similar to Pizza Hut in Australia, that night.
He also claimed that Ms Roberts Giuffre’s account of them dancing and sweating in a nightclub was not accurate because he could not physically sweat due to a war wound from the Falklands.
The interview took place three weeks before the now infamous Prince Andrew interview aired and sources close to Ms Roberts Giuffre’s told the UK’s Daily Mirror she is furious about the timing.
“Several people working on Virginia’s case question why it has been held back and wonder if it was not to jeopardise the interview with the duke,” the source told The Mirror.
“During her interview, she was asked why she thought Andrew had remained silent. Of course that now is no longer the case.”