Prince Andrew ‘broke down in tears after Charles told him he’d never return to royal duties’

The disgraced Duke of York was reportedly “totally blindsided” and “tearful” following a tense face-to-face meeting with his brother, King Charles.

Prince Andrew became tearful when the King told him he would never return to Royal duties, it has been reported.

The disgraced Duke of York was “totally blindsided” in the tense face-to-face meeting with his brother, who said he must accept his role in public life is over, it was claimed.

Prince Andrew has been rumoured to think he could still add value to the Monarchy.

But these hopes were dashed days before the Queen’s death during the early-morning talks with the then Prince of Wales in Scotland.

A source told the Mail on Sunday the discussions were “emotional and fraught”, and suggested those around Prince Andrew are concerned for him.

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The Duke of York was totally ‘blindsided’ by his brother, King Charles. Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

They added: “Andrew was totally blindsided. He is utterly bereft. He always believed there was a way back.

“Andrew was extremely close to the Queen and tried to raise the issue of his return to public life many times with her.

“On some occasions she would say mildly conciliatory things but most of the time she would change the subject immediately.

“Naive as it may sound, he always had hopes of regaining his position as a senior royal,’ continued the source.

“At the meeting Charles told him that he can go off and have a good life, a nice life, but that his public life as a Royal is at an end.

“He was told: ‘You have to accept this.’’’

The Sun revealed in August that Prince Andrew was locked in intense talks with the Queen about his future.

Insiders say the Duke of York always thought there would be a way back in to royal duties. Picture: Kirsty O'Connor – WPA Pool/Getty Images

The disgraced Duke — whose bid to get his royal roles reinstated was rejected by the Queen earlier this summer — wanted a new position to see out his days.

He was stripped of all his patronages and military titles because of his multimillion pound payout to sex abuse accuser ­Virginia Giuffre.

And he was blasted last night for failing to carry out any charity work since pledging to make amends over the scandal.

Andrew, the Duke of York, was very close with the Queen and always hoped there would be a way back into public life. Picture: Yui Mok / Pool / AFP

He paid millions of pounds to Ms Giuffre, 39, in an out-of-court settlement in February and made a donation to her anti-sex trafficking charity.

A statement at the time said the Duke would show his remorse by “supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking by supporting its victims”.

Several proposals to carry out charity work have “stalled” after Buckingham Palace permission was sought, The Sun understands.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished with permission