Prince Andrew was reportedly 'blindsided' in an awkward meeting with King Charles where he was told that he will never be allowed to return to royal duties. The disgraced Duke of York thought he could 'still be of value' to the royal family and had 'always believed there was a way back' to his formal role despite his recent sexual assault lawsuit.
Prince Andrew denied the allegations made against him by Virginia Giuffre, who claims he sexually abused her as a teen after she was trafficked by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He later came to an out-of-court settlement, paying Giuffre a reported £12 million, the Mirror reports.
In the wake of the sex scandal earlier this year, Prince Andrew stepped down from his royal duties and was stripped of his military affiliations and patronages by the Queen. The 62-year-old continues to deny any wrongdoing and has tried to lobby to resume his former role, according to reports.
