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Prince Andrew and his ex-wife were seen driving away from Royal Lodge today as the embattled Duke gets set to fight claims of rape and sexual assault in the US courts as a private citizen.
The 61-year-old drove his Range Rover through the Windsor Estate with Sarah, Duchess Of York with their dog in the back seat.
The sighting comes just days after it emerged Andrew could lose his round-the-clock police protection as early as next month after he was exiled as a frontline royal.
Sources say a full review of his security is being carried out by Scotland Yard and the Home Office following last week’s decision by the Queen to strip her son of his remaining military and charitable affiliations and stop him using his HRH title.
A close associate of the Duke has now claimed he could have his royal patronages restored if he wins the civil case against him while The Queen is alive – but it would be ‘less predictable’ if Charles was the monarch.
But the source suggested that any potential return would be a different matter if his brother, the Prince of Wales, ascends to the throne.
The close associate of the Duke of York claimed that The Queen could allow Andrew to regain some of his patronages if he won his legal battle with Virginia Giuffre. Pictured: Andrew and ex wife Sarah Duchess Of York leave Royal Lodge today
Prince Andrew and his ex-wife were seen driving away from Royal Lodge today as the embattled Duke gets set to fight claims of rape and sexual assault in the US courts as a private citizen
Speaking to The Times, the source questioned why the Duke of York would be barred from taking part in royal duties if he defeats claims of rape and sexual assault being brought by Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre.
They added that they believed there was no reason why Andrew could not use his ‘HRH’ styling again and even take back his military titles.
Andrew is currently facing a court battle in New York as a private citizen after being banned from using the styling ‘HRH’.
Judge Lewis Kaplan earlier this month sensationally ruled that the Queen’s second son can be tried over claims he sexually assaulted Ms Giuffre when she was 17 — allegations which Andrew has categorically denied.
Andrew has remained holed up at Windsor as his legal team fought his case in the US and was today seen driving through the estate with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson who also lives at his Royal Lodge home.
‘I think if the Queen is still alive and his name is cleared I would say that at that point what reason would there be for him to be barred from taking part in royal duties?’ they said
However, any potential return would be a different matter if his brother, the Prince of Wales, had ascended to the throne, they suggested
But the anonymous friend, who remains in contact with Andrew, said that media speculation that the duke would never resume royal engagements was ill-informed.
‘I think if the Queen is still alive and his name is cleared I would say that at that point what reason would there be for him to be barred from taking part in royal duties?’ they told the publication.
‘If he’s cleared then the question to ask is why should he not be in a position to take part in royal duties and be HRH again and have his military titles? After all, he has served in the military.’
Asked how it would be different if Charles were king, he said: ‘It’s a different decision-maker and different people influencing him and therefore it’s slightly less predictable.’
Andrew is currently facing an embarrassing court battle in New York against Virginia Giuffre (pictured with her legal team) as a private citizen after being banned from using the styling ‘HRH’
The source added he believed Andrew wished to fight the court battle with Ms Giuffre rather than agree a settlement so that his ‘name was cleared’.
Royal commentator and Majesty magazine editor Ingrid Seward agreed with the idea The Queen would welcome Andrew back, but questioned ‘what on earth is he going to do’.
The comments come amid reports Andrew could lose his round-the-clock police protection as early as next month after he was exiled as a frontline royal.
Andrew, who remains ninth in line to the throne, has so far been allowed to keep his taxpayer-funded police bodyguards at a cost to the public purse of an estimated £2-3million a year.
This has sparked intense public debate, particularly because his nephew, Prince Harry, was stripped of his police protection when he quit as a working royal in 2020 and moved to the United States.
It is understood that the Royal and VIP Executive Committee is now carrying out a review of whether Andrew’s situation is tenable – particularly in light of the Duke of Sussex’s lawyers seeking a judicial review of the Home Office’s decision.
Harry is demanding he and his family are given protection by specially-trained Scotland Yard officers when he returns to the UK, even if he pays for it himself.
‘Although no-one will comment on it publicly, this is an issue that is now actively being discussed by the Met’s Royal and VIP Executive Committee,’ a source told the Mail.
Andrew, who lives in 30-room Royal Lodge on the Queen’s Windsor estate, will always benefit from the round-the-clock protection that comes with living in proximity to a royal residence.
His children, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, had their official royal security taken away several years ago following public outrage at their globe-trotting antics, which saw officers regularly follow them on trips abroad.
His ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, who still lives with him, has not officially had any taxpayer-funded security since they divorced in 1996.
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