Prince William will reportedly never allow Prince Andrew to return to the royal fold because he views him as a “threat” to the institution, sources have claimed. The Duke of York stepped down as a senior working royal in 2019 due to his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has not carried out any official engagements since then, only attending private family events with the royals. His return to the royal fold has long been the subject of discussion among various royal watchers; however, new reports have now dismissed that chance once and for all.
Sources claimed that the Prince of Wales, in his renewed vision for the monarchy when he is King, has “no role” for the Duke of York, following his “ill-judged friendships” with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and more recent dealings with the alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo.
The Sunday Times cited sources close to the heir, who claimed that Andrew’s recurring missteps have convinced William that “Uncle Andrew” is a “reputational risk” to the Firm’s reputation.
The newspaper noted that during Andrew’s latest appearance with the royals, at St George’s Chapel, Windsor on Easter Sunday, William “swerved it” by spending his time with the Princess of Wales’s parents in Norfolk.
In December, the Duke of York did not join the Royal Family at the traditional Christmas church service, despite previously doing so, after reports emerged with details about his relationship with Yang Tengbo.
At the time, the duke’s office said Andrew “ceased all contact” with the then-unnamed businessman when concerns were first raised about him.
Andrew met Mr Yang through “official channels” with “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”, a statement said.
Another non-working royal unlikely to be welcomed back into the royal fold, according to the sources, is William’s younger brother, Prince Harry.
The sources claimed that despite Harry’s recent pleas for reconciliation, the Prince of Wales remains adamant regarding his brother and that his anger has now “subsided to indifference”.
They said: “What has struck me the most recently is that he just doesn’t mention it at all. It used to be that the family stuff was taking up a lot of space in his head, it was a very close relationship and he was very upset. But he’s not letting it get to him at all any more.”