Queen will be ‘frustrated’ with Andrew situation — royal expert

17th January 2022

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A royal expert has said that the Queen will be ‘frustrated’ after news that Prince Andrew will face a civil sexual assault trial.

The Duke of York is set to face a civil trial over the alleged sexual assault of then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, following his attempt to have the case thrown out dismissed by a New York court.

Andrew was stripped of all of his military titles, royal patronages and honorific HRH titles by Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening as a result of the trial going ahead, meaning Andrew will face his trial as a private citizen.© Provided by Extra.ie A royal expert has said that the Queen will be ‘frustrated’ after news that Prince Andrew will face a civil sexual assault trial. Pic: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told OK! magazine that the Queen will be ‘frustrated’ with the matter and how it has been handled, especially during her Diamond Jubilee year.

‘As a mother, this is the stuff of nightmares’, Duncan told the magazine. ‘The Queen on her Jubilee year, is being hit by this double whammy effect of trouble for the firm and trouble for the family’.

‘She has spent so many years building and the building the reputation, and then suddenly [Andrew’s allegations] comes out’, he continued. ‘The Epstein thing has been under the surface for a decade, but it’s now exploded. It’s one disaster after the other’.© Provided by Extra.ie Andrew has been stripped of his royal patronages, honorific HRH titles after it was decided that he would face a civil trial for alleged sexual abuse of then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre in 2001. Pic: REX/Shutterstock

Duncan went on to explain that since the trial is set to go ahead, the question of the Royal Family’s reputation being protected in the fallout is what the Queen may be thinking about now, however the situation has gotten ‘out of control’.

‘The reality for the Queen now is that it’s out of control’, Duncan revealed. ‘There’s nothing she can do to rescue her son from this. ‘I cannot see a way back for Prince Andrew now — The nature of these accusations is such that I don’t know how he could ever recover his reputation.

‘Their strategy is going to have to basically react to what happens and how this unfolds’.© Provided by Extra.ie The Duke is set to face the civil trial as a private citizen. Pic: EPA/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

Elsewhere, it was revealed that Andrew’s brother Prince Charles, and nephew Prince William, were ‘instrumental’ on Andrew’s dismissal from the Royal Family.