Prince Charles once offered his brother, Prince Andrew a job as his aide.
WATCH: Prince Charles refuses to answer questions about Prince Andrew
When the Duke of York left the Royal Navy in 2001, the Prince of Wales extended an offer of employment to his younger brother. Prince Andrew was asked if he wanted to become an aide to the future king, which he declined.
“Andrew could have been the one member of the family that Charles relied on,” a source told Royal Central. Instead, he accepted an offer from senior Labour MP Peter Mandelson to become an international trade emissary for the government. Prince Charles was also said to be angered by Prince Andrew’s appointment as trade envoy.
“My understanding is that Prince Charles was less than happy that Andrew was given the role of Trade Envoy back in 2001 after he left the Navy,” royal correspondent Robert Jobson told Vanity Fair.
In 2011, however, Prince Andrew’s friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein forced him to stand down from his position.
Following his train wreck interview on BBC Newsnight, the Queen stripped her favourite son of all his royal duties, meaning the Duke of York will no longer conduct royal or public duties and will step back from all patronages.
While Prince Andrew’s removal from the public shouldn’t come as a surprise in light of recent reports, The Sun alleges that Her Majesty’s intervention came after a ‘disgusted’ Prince Charles lobbied for the ousting of his little brother.
A senior Palace source told the publication: “Charles was very involved in the decision as heir to the throne. He knew action had to be taken. The Duke knew he couldn’t fight any more. His royal career is over.
“There will be no activity for any charities. No public activities whatsoever.
“But the Queen has told him he remains a member of the Royal Family. He will still appear during Trooping the Colour and on the balcony at major events.”
What’s more, Prince Andrew has allegedly always feared his daughters would be “overshadowed” and “totally sidelined” when Prince Charles rose to prominence in the Royal Family. However, in the wake of the catastrophic Newsnight interview, their future has become even more unclear.
“Andrew was fighting not just for his survival but for all their survival,” a source close to the Yorks told The Daily Beast‘s Tom Sykes. “Andrew and Sarah will obviously be worried about how his resignation impacts their children’s future.”
The royal stated that his association with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein was ‘a major disruption’ to the Royal Family and for the “foreseeable future,” Prince Andrew will be taking a step back from his public duties.
