Royal insiders reckon the decision is final, with Andrew’s return to public life now just a distant memory.
Royal experts Hugo Vickers and Bronte Coy didn’t hold back when they opened up about the situation during a chat with Matt Wilkinson on the Royal Exclusive show.
Bronte was the first to wade in, saying, “I can’t imagine that the King or Prince William or any of the other senior royals would agree that he should return to public duty. I think that’s a matter that’s been laid to rest.” No dancing around it there – it’s clear the door’s been firmly shut, reported the Sun.
Talking about Andrew’s recent appearance at the Easter service, Bronte added, “surely it has been agreed even with the royal family and I would imagine even with Prince Andrew at this point that he is retired from royal duties but he will just continue to take part in family events.”
It’s one thing to show up at family gatherings, but any dreams Andrew might have had about making a comeback seem pretty far-fetched now.
At this point, Hugo Vickers chipped in, and he didn’t mince his words either. In his view, Andrew’s reputation has sunk so low that he’s now simply “the butt of every comedian’s jokes.”
“I mean nobody wants him. But of course he’s allowed to go to family events. Of course he should go to church. In fact I think he would be criticised if he didn’t.” A bit of a rock and a hard place for the Duke of York, by the sounds of it.
When it came to the idea of whether Andrew should simply vanish altogether, Hugo didn’t hesitate. “I mean he’s as good as disappeared. He’s not going to come back into public life. Nobody wants him.” It’s a brutal verdict, but one that seems to echo the mood not just within the Palace, but with the public too.
It’s worth noting that all of this comes in the wake of tragic news about Virginia Giuffre, the woman who accused Prince Andrew. Virginia, just 42, recently passed away, and her family shared a heartfelt statement: “Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure.”