Prince Andrew: What’s next for royal family’s black sheep after Queen’s death
Prince Andrew was reportedly the Queen’s favourite son. But royal insiders say King Charles wants his disgraced brother out of the monarchy for good.
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Much was made about the distance between Harry and William at Windsor this week, but in the end, the death of their beloved grandmother brought them closer together than they had been in months.
As the news broke of the Queen’s critical condition on Thursday, it was by coincidence that Prince Harry was in the UK.
The Duke of Sussex had been undertaking engagements including launching the countdown to the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf and scheduled to make a speech at the WellChild Awards in London on Thursday evening.
He and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, had been staying at their home Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate, making them neighbours with Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who have recently relocated to Adelaide Cottage.
They were photographed taking Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to the first day of their new school, earlier this week.
However, despite reports Harry and William had not spoken, the death of the Queen changed that.
Prince William was seen arriving in Aberdeen and driving Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex to Balmoral Castle earlier in the afternoon, where, King Charles III, was waiting, having flown in by helicopter. Princess Anne was already there.
Prince Harry, meanwhile, having cancelled his appearance, made his own way to Scotland, arriving at Balmoral just before 8pm local time, an hour- and-a half after the announcement of the Queen’s death.
Meghan Markle stayed behind in London, as did Catherine.
The new King put out a statement explaining the family would take time to mourn the loss of their matriarch.
“The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” he said.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.
“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held.”
But it is what will happen during and after that mourning, that is the question royal commentators are asking.
Specifically, what is next for the two black sheep of the family – Andrew and Harry?
Royal insiders say it is Charles and William who have been driving the desire to slim back the monarchy and make sure Andrew has no place in it, following his association with Jeffrey Epstein and his court case with Virginia Giuffre.
It was the Queen who insisted Andrew still play a role – letting her cherished second-son escort her down the aisle of Westminster Abbey at Prince Philip’s memorial ceremony in March, which received heavy criticism.
But now she has gone, his last support system has gone too and experts predict Charles, once the mourning period is over, won’t hesitate to put his vision into place.
As for Harry – he can’t avoid speaking to his father and brother now and perhaps the time in Balmoral and presumably beyond, if he inevitably extends his stay, might even prove a positive thing for their ongoing relationship.
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