Prince Andrew supposedly “stepped down” from being a working royal in late 2019, days after his BBC Newsnight interview aired and all hell broke loose. I remember it well – Queen Elizabeth did nothing about Andrew for days as the British media did wall-to-wall coverage of just how badly Andrew’s interview had landed with the public. It wasn’t until then-Prince Charles called his mother days later that anything happened – Andrew was allowed to “step down” from being a working royal, but he didn’t actually step down from any patronage or charity. Then several years passed and it was clear that Andrewwas convinced that he could launch a comeback with his mother’s help. He still kept his patronages, he was still invited to events, and his mother did everything she could to coddle him and protect him. Crash cut to 2022, with Virginia Giuffre suing Andrew for rape and abuse. Andrew was about to be dragged into court in America just before his mother’s Jubbly. Andrew “borrowed” money from his mother and settled with Giuffre out of court, and once again we were told that this was the end, that Andrew was now fully out of royal life.

In the nearly two years since Andrew “for real this time” stepped down yet again, he continues to be included in family events and state occasions like the coronation. He continues to be embraced by his family. He gets to go on car rides with William and Kate in Scotland. He gets to keep his mansion in Windsor. He gets to keep his security too, paid by his brother. Now that Andrew’s name appears all over the newly released Epstein files, we’re in for another round of “Andrew will never be able to come back!” You guys, there’s no need for a comeback when he was never even pushed out.

Royal expert Phil Dampier told MailOnline today that the Epstein files are ‘the final nail in the coffin’ for Prince Andrew’s reputation – and Prince William in particular will make sure his uncle does not return to the royal fold.

Mr Dampier said: ‘The big danger for him is that another woman could make specific allegations against him and want a day in court or a pay off as well’.

Royal biographer Tom Bower said the the Royal Family need to ‘bury and forget’ Prince Andrew as he’s in ‘self-denial’ about his association with Jeffrey Epstein. ‘It’s a danger for the Palace, they don’t know what more bombs will be dropped. He’s not telling them’, he said. Commentator Richard Fitzwilliams says any rehabilitation of Andrew’s image is an ‘impossible task’.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment today because they only speak for working royals. The duke stepped down from duties in 2019 over his links to convicted paedophile Epstein. In 2022 his mother the Queen stripped him of his royal patronages and military titles before he settled the multi-million dollar case with Ms Giuffre.

The Duke of York was with his family at Sandringham for Christmas, but only because Charles felt ‘sorry’ for him, Phil Dampier has said. Mr Dampier claimed William would never let his uncle return to royal duties, with this now even more unlikely after the Epstein files came out in NYC last night.

He said: ‘These latest revelations will do nothing to help Prince Andrew’s hopes for a return to royal duties. That was always very unlikely anyway but this could be then final nail in the coffin of his reputation. It’s important to remember he has never been found guilty of any crimes and denies them. But I can’t ever see him setting foot in the USA again. Indeed, for someone who used to travel the world he has only been abroad once or twice since the scandal erupted. There is seemingly no end in sight for him and therefore I can’t see him making a comeback.

‘I think the King feels sorry for him and has made it clear he is still very much part of the family, as we saw at Christmas. But Prince William would certainly be against any attempt by him to take up any sort of public duties’.

[From The Daily Mail]

So, that’s where the Windsors are at this point – their version of punishment for Andrew is insisting that he cannot make a comeback, but don’t worry, he’ll still be invited to Easter, Christmas, coronations, Order of the Garter ceremonies, funerals, state occasions and shooting parties. The continued insistence that this is the “final nail in his coffin” is unsettling as well – like, all of them were fine with Andrew being credibly accused of rape? They were fine with his years-long friendship with two known human traffickers? None of that was the “final nail”?

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.