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Prince Andrew kicked out of Buckingham Palace over Jeffrey Epstein scandal

Prince Andrew’s week has gone from bad to worse, with the disgraced royal and his staff being given their marching orders from the Palace.

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Disgraced Prince Andrew has been kicked out of his offices at Buckingham Palace.

The British royal got his marching orders and was told to clear out on Friday — just days after announcing he was formally stepping away from official duties after a “car crash” of an interview defending his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, the Times of London reported.

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According to the report, the 59-year-old prince, who is facing a sea of criticism amid allegations he had sex with an underage girl, was told he and his staff would have to find another location to do business — a move authorised by the queen.

The disgraced royal must move his offices to another location. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The disgraced royal must move his offices to another location. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The report is only the latest humiliation for Andrew this week, amid reports the disgraced Duke of York was also fired from royal duties by his mother, who was reportedly concerned the scandal would tarnish the rest of the famous household.

On Thursday, the Queen also fired Andrew’s longtime private secretary Amanda Thirsk after she pressed the prince to undergo the now-infamous BBC interview, in which he tried to use a bizarre medical disorder to debunk the claims of Epstein accusers, The Sun reported.

Queen Elizabeth Prince Andrew in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Picture: Ben Stansall/AFP
Queen Elizabeth Prince Andrew in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Picture: Ben Stansall/AFP

The embattled duke is the first member of the British royal family to step down from official duties because his reputation was so tarnished, according to the Times report.

Epstein accuser Virginia Guiffre says she was forced to have sex with the prince in 2001 when she was just 17. A photograph appears to show the royal with his arms around Giuffre in the London mansion of Ghislaine Maxwell — Epstein’s alleged procuress.

But the family is remaining united, with the prince photographed riding horses with his mother near Windsor Castle on Friday — a “clear gesture of support from the Queen,” the report claimed.

Facing an exodus of corporate sponsors and mounting criticism from the public, Andrew this week quit as chancellor of the University of Huddersfield and walked away from his Pitch@Palace entrepreneurship competition.

Companies rushed to sever ties with charities and organisations linked to the prince after the disastrous interview — with Barclays, KPMG and Standard Chartered all yanking their sponsorship.

This story originally appeared in the NY Post and was reproduced with permission.

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/prince-andrew-kicked-out-of-buckingham-palace-over-jeffrey-epstein-scandal/news-story/a5bbc33035588b536b48b8b6c4109b75