PRINCE Andrew has accepted an invite from King Charles to stay with him at Balmoral this weekend.
The disgraced royal reportedly drove himself to the estate in Aberdeenshire to stay in the seven-bedroom Craigowan Lodge.
Earlier this year, more than 8000 people signed The National's petition calling for the King to remove to Earl of Inverness title from Prince Andrew, with many locals saying they did not want the city to be associated with the royal.
Graham Smith, CEO of Republic, said the visit was a "slap in the face" to locals.
“Andrew remains accused of serious offences for which he refuses to answer questions and which the police refuse to investigate," he said.
"It is no wonder people in Inverness want nothing to do with him.
"It is a slap in the face of locals for Charles to invite him to stay at Balmoral and to refuse to strip Andrew of this title".
The invite comes despite an ongoing battle between King Charles and Prince Andrew over the latter’s residence in the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
King Charles has made efforts to persuade Andrew to leave the 30-room mansion and move him into the smaller Frogmore Cottage.
However, Andrew has so far refused to move out of the luxury property, which was leased to him in 2003.
He is joined at Balmoral by ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who flew into Aberdeen Airport.
She is currently recuperating from a breast cancer operation.
The visit comes as the Metropolitan Police drop their investigation into King Charles's charity The Princes Trust.
The former chief executive of the charity, Michael Fawcett, had been accused of promising to help a billionaire donor from Saudi Arabia achieve citizenship and gain a knighthood.
However, police said that after interviewing several witnesses no further action would be taken.
