Prince William and Kate will NEVER let Prince Andrew return to public duty – nobody wants him, experts slam
PRINCE William and Princess Kate will never let Prince Andrew return to public duty, according to royal experts.
The disgraced Duke of York made a surprise return to public life at the King’s Easter church service on Sunday.
Andrew, 65, breezed in laughing and joking ahead of the ceremony at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, accompanied by ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
Andrew, who was stripped of royal roles over his links to billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was banned from Christmas with the royals after becoming embroiled in a scandal with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo.
However, William and Kate were noticeably absent from the Easter ceremony and instead opted to spend time in Norfolk with their three children.
Wills is said to be reluctant to spend any time around Andrew, who has been banished from public life after heaping shame on the royal institution.
Royal experts Hugo Vickers and Bronte Coy discussed the developing situation when he spoke to Matt Wilkinson on our Royal Exclusive show.
Bronte told our royal editor how she didn’t see a way back in public life for Andrew, a view that she believes is held by William and Kate, amongst others.
She said: “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.
“But 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.”
Hugo added that Prince Andrew has become the “butt of every comedian’s jokes”, such is his fall from grace.
The royal expert added: “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.”
Hugo went on to question whether Andrew should just vanish completely due to his rock bottom popularity.
He added: “So should he just disappear? I mean he’s as good as disappeared. He’s not going to come back into public life. Nobody wants him.”
Experts believe Andrew’s latest appearance was significant as it comes just weeks after his sex accuser Virginia Giuffre bizarrely claimed to be dying in Australia.
Royal expert Phil Dampier said that Charles still loves his brother “and he doesn’t want him to be completely outcast”.
He added: “It was very much a show of family unity.
“He’s not totally out in the cold, but I think it’s too early to say it’s any kind of comeback for him.”
But Mr Dampier believes Kate and William’s decision to stay away was not linked to Andrew.
He went on: “It is absolutely true to say that William is one of the driving forces behind making sure there’s no future for the Duke of York.
“He doesn’t believe he can make a comeback, and there is, I’m told, quite a lot of friction between them. It made it a lot easier, I think, for Andrew that William wasn’t there.”
Andrew has been spotted out riding on Easter Monday.
He appeared to look startled after noticing his picture being taken whilst at Windsor.
DISGRACE OVER 15YRS FOR PRINCE
DEC 2010: Andrew visits Jeffrey Epstein in New York after paedo is freed from jail.
JUL 2011: Quits as trade envoy after Epstein backlash. Ex-wife Sarah Ferguson admits accepting money from Epstein.
APR 2015: Claims emerge that Andrew had sex with Virginia Giuffre when she was 17.
AUG 2019: Epstein is found dead in his jail cell after being charged with sex trafficking.
NOV 2019: Andrew steps back from public duties after disastrous Newsnight interview.
XMAS 2019: Low profile at 9am private church service in Sandringham with Charles.
MAY 2020: Steps down from all public roles permanently.
JAN 2022: US judge rejects bid to throw out Ms Giuffre’s civil lawsuit. The late Queen strips Andrew of military affiliations and royal patronages.
FEB 2022: He agrees to make a “substantial donation” to charity and accepts Ms Giuffre “suffered as an established victim of abuse”.
MAR 2024: Appears at royals’ Easter service in Windsor.
DEC 2024: His “close confidante” Yang Tengbo is accused of being a Chinese spy. Andrew does not join family at Sandringham for Christmas.
JAN 2025: It emerges Andrew was in contact with Epstein in 2011, despite claiming he cut ties in 2010.
APR 2025: Arrives grinning at royals’ Easter service.