Queen Elizabeth Is Reportedly Holding Private Talks to Move Prince Andrew to Scotland, Out of the Public Eye
Sexual assault allegations against Prince Andrew rocked the British monarchy, and many have wondered how Queen Elizabeth II will handle having her disgraced son by her side. Will she be send Prince Andrew away from England?
Is Queen Elizabeth planning to move Prince Andrew to Scotland?
A recent story from the Daily Mail claims Queen Elizabeth has been in talks with senior members of the royal family to figure out how to help Andrew live a life “away from the public gaze.”
While the Duke of York has been living at his Royal Lodge estate in Windsor, close to his mother, a move to Scotland is allegedly in the works.
Moving Prince Andrew away from England isn’t the only move Queen Elizabeth has made to keep her son out of the public eye. Before the lawsuit brought by accuser Virginia Guiffre began, the queen stripped Andrew of his “HRH” status and military titles. He was also removed as a royal patron from various charities he has supported.
The civil suit was settled out of court, and the Daily Mail reports the prince paid up to £12 million ($15 million) to Guiffre. Now that the case has been settled, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Andrew are working to figure out the role he could play in the royal family now.
A palace insider weighs in on Prince Andrew’s transition
“Clearly, at some point soon, thought will have to be given as to how to support the Duke as, away from the public gaze, he seeks slowly to rebuild his life in a different direction,” a palace insider said, per the Daily Mail.
“There is, of course, a real awareness and sensitivity to public feelings,” the insider continued. “There is also recognition that the task of starting to support him as he begins to rebuild his life will be the first step on a long road and one that should not be played out every day in the glare of the public spotlight.”
The Duke of York was absent from the queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this month owing to a COVID-19 diagnosis. Still, he is expected to attend the annual Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor later this year.
Do Prince William and Kate Middleton also plan to relocate?
Prince Andrew isn’t the only royal allegedly planning a big move. Prince William and Kate Middleton are also reportedly considering moving their family of five to a house on the queen’s Windsor estate.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge now live in London at Kensington Palace with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. It has been the family’s main residence since 2017.
In addition to being closer to the queen, the family’s reported new home is also close to Kate’s parents, who live 45 minutes away from Windsor in the nearby village of Bucklebury.
Though these reported moves remain unconfirmed, it seems likely the royal family would want Prince Andrew away from the spotlight and out of the way in Scotland — and that Prince William and Kate Middleton would want to be closer to Queen Elizabeth amid her ongoing health issues.
