Prince Andrew will step down from public duties for the foreseeable future after the Queen and senior royals recognised the monarchy has been badly damaged by his friendship with a paedophile.
Her Majesty, 93, supported by Prince Charles, took the unprecedented decision yesterday to tell her second son to withdraw from public life after his name became toxic to major sponsors and charities.
Royal author Penny Junor said: “This is absolutely unprecedented that a fairly senior member of the Royal Family should be forced to retire from public life. I think the monarchy is going through very difficult times. I think it’s been a disastrous year.”
Companies and charities have begun to cut ties with Andrew amid an FBI investigation into allegations US financier Jeffrey Epstein trafficked underage girls to have sex with the eighth in line to the throne and other wealthy friends.
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Andrew has vehemently denied having sex three times in London, New York and the US Virgin Islands with one of the women, Virginia Giuffre, when she was 17.
At a meeting with his mother at Buckingham Palace yesterday on her 72nd wedding anniversary it is understood she told him that his only option was to step back while he tries to save his reputation.
In a statement, the Prince, 59, said: “It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support.
“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future and she has given her permission.”
Buckingham Palace presented it as his decision but a royal source said: “It wasn’t his decision. He was summoned up to see the Queen and told he had to step down.”
