Prince Andrew Might Be 1 Step Closer to Having the Same Fate As Harry After the Disgraced Royal Loses Titles
One of the main questions people have asked after Prince Andrew gave up his titles and honors is what would happen to his security. Famously, the biggest reason Prince Harry has not returned to the UK with his family for years is the security question. So, does the fact that Prince Andrew is no longer the Duke of York have any bearing on his security?
First reports indicated Andrew would keep his security. “Even though he, like Harry, is no longer a working royal, it appears that he will continue to receive royal protection,” royal expert Christopher Andersen told Us Weekly. He added that Prince Andrew “lives on the grounds of Windsor Great Park, not far from the rest of the family, so it goes with the territory.” However, that could all change if he is indeed pressured into leaving Royal Lodge and ends up relocating somewhere that isn’t on the grounds of Windsor Great Park.
Related: Here’s what each royal inherited from Queen Elizabeth
Just this past April, Prince Harry lost his appeal over security for his family and himself while in the UK. “The U.K. is my birthplace and will always be a part of who I am. It is a place I love, and the country where my son was born,” he said at the time. “I’ve only ever wanted to continue my charitable work in supporting the causes and people that mean so much to me, and for my children to know the beauty of my homeland.”
He added: “I remain committed to a life of public service. This has been and will always be my life’s work, and when you strip away the noise, you’ll be able to hear, all I’ve been asking for is safety.”
Andrew’s situation is very different, but it could still lead him to lose all government-funded protection due to the nature of the scandals he has been involved in due to his connection with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Recently, the Mail on Sunday, reported that Andrew let his mother’s press secretary know that he had provided Virginia Giuffre’s U.S. Social Security numbers and date of birth to an officer to get dirt on her. He also asked his Metropolitan Police personal protection officers to investigate her.
“It would also seem she has a criminal record in the States,” Andrew allegedly wrote. “I have given her DoB and social security number for investigation with [name redacted], the on-duty PPO.”
All of this led to the decision for Andrew to give up his titles. A senior royal source told RadarOnline.com: “This latest revelation has made Andrew’s position utterly untenable,” adding, “The King is under immense pressure from advisers and senior courtiers to act decisively. There’s a feeling that if he doesn’t, the scandal will keep bleeding into the public domain and tarnish everything the monarchy is trying to rebuild.”
That reportedly includes pressure from Andrew to not just disappear completely, but to retire somewhere that isn’t the mansion he currently occupies in Windsor Great Park, Royal Lodge. “The fact he’s still living in a royal home infuriates both the Palace and the public,” a royal household source said. “But the king’s hands are tied – Andrew has a watertight lease. The only real leverage is to make life there less comfortable.”
Expecting Prince Andrew to do the right thing hasn’t really worked out well for the royal family, but one thing seems certain: there’s still more Andrew could lose, including his government-funded security.
