Prince Andrew sought to exploit Charles’ unpopularity to become regent, expert claims
Prince Andrew: Biographer on relationship with Prince Charles
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According to a royal biographer, an “antagonism” has always existed between the two brothers, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew. Nigel Cawthorne claimed that following the divorce between the Prince of Wales and Princess Diana, Andrew proposed a “kind of Palace putsch” where he would become regent in his brother’s place. The Duke of York is currently facing renewed scrutiny after an alleged former Jeffrey Epstein victim filed a civil case against him, claiming that he sexually abused her on three occasions. Prince Andrew has consistently denied all allegations.
Prince Andrew’s biographer Nigel Cawthorne told Sky News: “Well, certainly the Queen is sticking by him, she insists that he is kept on as Colonel-in-Chief of the Grenadier Guards, although many senior military people really don’t want that because he can’t appear in public very easily.
“So he’s not much good in that role, but she’s stuck by that.
“There’s always been an antagonism between Charles and Andrew.
“When Charles was very unpopular during the divorce from Princess Diana, he proposed a kind of ‘Palace Putsch’ where he would become regent until William was of age to take the throne.”
Prince Charles suffered a severe blow to his popularity during the aftermath of his separation from Princess Diana.
The couple separated in 1992 and finalised their divorce in 1996. Princess Diana collaborated with the biographer Andrew Morton for his 1992 book ‘Diana: Her True Story’, which detailed Charles’ extra-marital affair with his long-term mistress Camilla Parker-Bowles, which brought controversy upon the Royal Family.
A recorded phone conversation between Charles and Camilla was also leaked to the press, which worsened his stance in the court of public opinion.
In 1995, Diana participated in an explosive interview with BBC Panorama, where she spoke openly of her husband’s infidelity and the mental health difficulties she had endured throughout the marriage
Following the death of Princess Diana in a car accident in 1997, Prince Charles’ popularity took another hit, and a special PR executive was hired to help rehabilitate his image.
His relationship with Prince Andrew is always believed to have been tense, particularly after the future king made clear his plans for a slimmed-down monarchy.
In recent weeks, both brothers have been sighted at Balmoral, where they visited the Queen. It is believed that crisis discussions were held at the Scottish estate, in light of the recent lawsuit filed against the Duke of York.
Prince Andrew is currently facing public pressure as he has been accused of sexual abuse by Virginia Robert Giuffre.
Ms Giuffre filed a civil case under New York’s Child Victims Act on August 10, alleging that the Duke had abused her on three occasions.
The case alleges that the Duke sexually abused Ms Giuffre at the London home of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and twice at Epstein’s homes in Manhattan and the US Virgin Islands.
Ms Giuffre has claimed that the Duke acted in full awareness that she was 17 years old, and was “a victim of sex trafficking”.
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Now 38, Ms Giuffre is seeking damages for the “significant emotional and psychological distress and harm” caused by the Duke’s actions.
Prince Andrew has consistently denied all allegations made against him, telling BBC journalist Emily Maitlis that the supposed abuse “never happened”.
The Duke of York was friends with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during the 1990s but terminated their friendship in 2010.
He told BBC Newsnight in 2019 that he had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminality and sexual behaviour, and said of Ms Giuffre: “It didn’t happen. I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened. I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”
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