Prince Andrew’s daughter Beatrice and her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi visited her father today – probably for the first time since he was sacked by the Queen.
The Duke of York’s eldest child was at the Royal Lodge in the grounds of Windsor Castle – 24 hours after it was claimed she played a central role in convincing her father to confront the Epstein scandal in his career-ending BBC interview.
Beatrice also likely to have concerns her own royal future may be over and growing calls for their wedding to be pared back and any costs to the taxpayer kept to a minimum after Andrew’s extraordinary fall from grace.
Despite her father’s woes the princess was pictured smiling and laughing as she left the grace-and-favour home with Edoardo this afternoon – but privately a source close the Beatrice said she had been ‘in tears every day’.
It came as Prince Charles started his journey back to Britain to face his beleaguered brother after his nine-day royal tour 10,000 miles ended today where he is expected to ‘read him the riot act’.
Furious Charles is also ready inform him that he and Prince William will ban him from royal duties for life.
Princess Beatrice leaves Windsor after seeing her father – possibly for the first time since he was sacked by the Queen
Her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi rode in the front of the royal Range Rover, driven by security this afternoon
The Duke of York’s former wife Sarah Ferguson and daughter Princess Beatrice were among the key figures pressing him to go ahead with last weekend’s disastrous Newsnight interview, it was claimed yesterday.
The Duchess of York had been keen to end the speculation about Andrew’s involvement with convicted paedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein ahead of Beatrice’s wedding to property developer Edo Mapelli Mozzi next year.
Fergie is also believed to have been convinced that if the public could see the Duke – or ‘my boy’, as she is said to call him – talking in his own words about the scandal, they would be convinced that he was telling the truth.
She could hardly have been more wrong. Last week, Andrew stepped down from Royal duties amid unrelenting criticism of his performance, branded the worst in royal history.
The Prince of Wales is in the air after his visit to New Zealand and the Solomon Islands was completely overshadowed by the Duke of York’s disastrous interview with the BBC about Jeffrey Epstein and his ‘sex slave’ Virginia Roberts.
Charles is believed to have called his mother the Queen and urged her to sack Andrew from all royal duties and roles immediately fearing his presence could fatally damage the British monarchy.
And MailOnline revealed last week that the heir to the throne is expected to meet the duke within days and ‘read him the riot act’ – and explain why he retired him off at the age of 59.
Prince Charles and Prince William are also said to be clear that they would oppose any future return to royal duties, it emerged today.
It came as it was revealed that Andrew is to ‘stand back’ from his 100-plus charity patronages in a sign of his deepening humiliation over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
A showdown between the brothers over Andrew’s disastrous decision to speak publicly about his relationship with convicted paedophile Epstein is inevitable, experts have said.
Prince Charles smiles and waves as he leaves his royal tour of the South Pacific but he is flying into a storm back home caused by his brother Andrew
The Prince of Wales meets traditional dancers on the final day of his trip to the Solomon Islands today and is now flying back to the UK where he is expected to meet his younger brother Andrew and ‘read him the riot act’
Charles is believed be infuriated by Andrew’s decision to speak to the BBC where he floundered under questioning from Emily Maitlis
Prince William (left, with Andrew commemorating the end of operations in Afghanistan) is ‘not a huge fan’ of his Andrew, it is claimed, and spoke to the Queen and Prince Charles (right, with Andrew at St Paul’s Cathedral) about removing him from public life
A new poll found six out of ten people believed it had damaged the reputation of the Royal Family and a slim majority believed he should be banned from public events such as Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Sunday.
Plans for a glittering reception at Buckingham Palace to mark Prince Andrew’s 60th birthday in February have been mothballed following public revulsion over the Newsnight interview.
Representatives from his charities, business sponsors and military affiliations would have been invited to the party, but many have attempted to distance themselves from him since the programme was shown.
During the BBC interview, Andrew denied claims he had sex with a 17-year-old girl, Virginia Roberts, but admitted he had ‘let the side down’ when he visited Epstein’s home in New York – two years after the billionaire financier’s conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
The decision to go ahead with the interview was initially said to have been sanctioned by the Queen, but a royal source told the Sunday Times she had not given her approval and Andrew had not told her anything about what he planned to say.
The Queen was said to be ‘deeply frustrated’ that the scandal had overshadowed the rest of the Royal Family’s work although she remained ‘privately supportive’ of her second son, according to the source.
Under pressure: Prince Andrew was forced to step down from his royal duties as a result of the Newsnight interview
Pictured: Andrew (left) with Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, at a Christmas Day service in Norfolk in 2011. Charles’s return raises the possibility of a showdown with his younger brother
She effectively sacked him from royal duties last week after her heir Prince Charles and second in line to the throne, Prince William, asked her to intervene.
A source told the Sunday Times William had spoken to the Queen and Charles about Andrew’s future and believed his removal from public life was ‘the right thing to do’. They said: ‘William is becoming more and more involved in decisions about the institution [the monarchy] and he’s not a huge fan of his uncle Andrew.’
Andrew agreed to withdraw from public duty but initially wanted to remain a figurehead for some 200 charities and other affiliations. But he was forced to back down after many made it clear they no longer wanted his backing.
At least 23 organisations have either dropped him or accepted his resignation, including the English National Ballet, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Outward Bound Trust.
Several sponsors have also dropped their backing for his Pitch@Palace business initiative and the project has been told to find offices outside of Buckingham Palace.
There were calls for the duke’s business dealings and private finances to be scrutinised by the public finance committee, Parliament’s financial watchdog.
A spokesman insisted he would continue to work on the venture, now rebranded as Pitch. She added: ‘The duke will be stepping back from public duty and temporarily standing back from his patronages. The duke will continue to work on Pitch and will look at how he takes this forward outside of his public duties, and outside of Buckingham Palace.
‘We recognise there will be a period of time while this transition takes place.’
Andrew still remains a figurehead for several military organisations, including as honorary Colonel for the Grenadier Guards. Sources said some regiments felt ‘awkward’ about him featuring on their Christmas cards, but his military affiliations are expected to remain in place for now – although the Palace has said he would not take part in any events.
Royal biographer Penny Junor said she believed Andrew would be unable to return to royal duties after the scandal. ‘He’s absolutely finished, she told the Sunday Times. ‘If he is no longer representing or supporting the monarch in any capacity, or doing good charitably, what’s the point of him?’
Woman who claims Prince Andrew groped her breast after Jeffrey Epstein flew her to New York to entertain the duke says she will testify to the FBI
A woman who claimed that Prince Andrew groped her breasts with a Spitting Image puppet of himself revealed today she now is ready to go to the FBI about him.
Johanna Sjoberg says she is willing to testify under oath against the Duke of York and tell US agents all she knows about the royal’s long friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The 39-year-old is the second Epstein victim to claim that Andrew had sexual contact with her while on his knee at the billionaire’s New York home when she was 21.
Ms Sjoberg has accused the duke of groping her by taking a Spitting Image puppet of himself and placing its hand on her breast after being jetted to the US by Epstein to ‘entertain’ the prince in around 2001.
The bad news for Andrew came as it was revealed he is to ‘stand back’ from his charity patronages in a sign of his deepening humiliation over the Epstein scandal – as experts said today: ‘He’s absolutely finished’.
Johanna’s decision to speak out a decade ago is said to have inspired Virginia Roberts to reveal allegations Andrew had sex with her three times when she was 17.
Johanna Sjoberg (pictured in 2007) says Prince Andrew groped her breast with a puppet at Jeffrey Epstein’s New York home
Prince Andrew’s (pictured last week) disastrous BBC interview about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein (right in his police mugshot) has left his royal career in tatters
A decade after she first spoke out, Joanna is ready to speak to the FBI after Andrew’s disastrous BBC interview where he was accused of showing no sympathy for the victims Epstein groomed and abused, according to the Mirror.
A source said: ‘As a victim of Epstein, Sjoberg’s testimony over how she was recruited and abused is vital to the FBI.
‘Despite Epstein’s suicide, they are determined all those who enabled his crimes will face justice. It is a promise they made to the victims.
‘Andrew has had serious allegations made against him and agents are determined that a person’s standing in life does not make them immune from being questioned.’
Joanna is one of two women who have come forward to allege sexual contact with the royal.
Ms Sjoberg says that the duke groped her breast while he sat her on his knee at the paedophile’s New York home.
Virginia Roberts (pictured with Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell) says the prince had sex with her three times and she was inspired to speak out after Sjoberg did the same
Her accusation, with she first aired in 2007, are understood to have given Virginia Roberts the courage to come forwards with her claims.
Virginian Roberts, now Mrs Giuffre, says that Andrew had sex with her when she was 17 years old.
The FBI is believed to be looking at ways to interview Prince Andrew on British soil.
Agents are keen to question the duke about his knowledge of Epstein as well as Ghislaine Maxwell, who is alleged to have recruited his victims.
When Andrew stepped down from royal duties, he said he would be willing to help any law enforcement agency with their investigations.
He has lost his £249,000 Sovereign Grant after his car crash interview on Newsnight, when he told Emily Maitlis he had not slept with Ms Giuffre, who is now 35. Ms Sjoberg was pictured as Andrew stepped down from 230 patronages.
One royal source told the paper that the prince thinks he’ll be able to clear his name by speaking to the FBI.
Friends of Ms Sjoberg say that she is ‘pleased’ the duke is addressing the accusations facing him.
She has refused to comment further on the allegations, telling the paper her lawyer is handling the matter. Her claim about the prince was originally made in US court papers.
Ms Sjoberg levelled her allegations during a defamation case which Mrs Giuffre brought against 47-year-old Maxwell.
Epstein flew Ms Sjoberg and Mrs Giuffre from Palm Beach to Manhattan to entertain the duke.
Ms Sjoberg also told a Sunday newspaper that the prince had place his hand on her breast.
Andrew continued to be friends with Epstein despite him being convicted of child sex offences in 2008.
The friends were pictured together walking through Central Park in New York two years later.
Prince Andrew told the BBC that he was only visiting to break off his friendship with Epstein.
Mrs Giuffre has taken part in a BBC Panorama interview about her claims and the episode will air on December 2.
The prince denies any wrongdoing. Epstein left his £444million fortune to his brother, Mark, and killed himself in prison in August while facing sex trafficking charges.
Prince Andrew is to ‘stand back’ from his charity patronages in a sign of his deepening humiliation over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, it was revealed yesterday.
Aides to the Duke of York said he would step aside temporarily, but sources suggested his older brother Prince Charles and nephew Prince William would oppose any future return to royal duties.
Charles is expected to fly home to Britain today after a tour of New Zealand, raising the prospect of a showdown between the brothers over Andrew’s disastrous decision to speak publicly about his relationship with convicted paedophile Epstein.
A new poll found six out of ten people believed it had damaged the reputation of the Royal Family and a slim majority believed he should be banned from public events such as Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Sunday.
Plans for a glittering reception at Buckingham Palace to mark Prince Andrew’s 60th birthday in February have been mothballed following public revulsion over the Newsnight interview.
Representatives from his charities, business sponsors and military affiliations would have been invited to the party, but many have attempted to distance themselves from him since the programme was shown.
During the BBC interview, Andrew denied claims he had sex with a 17-year-old girl, Virginia Roberts, but admitted he had ‘let the side down’ when he visited Epstein’s home in New York – two years after the billionaire financier’s conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
The decision to go ahead with the interview was initially said to have been sanctioned by the Queen, but a royal source told the Sunday Times she had not given her approval and Andrew had not told her anything about what he planned to say.
The Queen was said to be ‘deeply frustrated’ that the scandal had overshadowed the rest of the Royal Family’s work although she remained ‘privately supportive’ of her second son, according to the source.
She effectively sacked him from royal duties last week after her heir Prince Charles and second in line to the throne, Prince William, asked her to intervene.
A source told the Sunday Times William had spoken to the Queen and Charles about Andrew’s future and believed his removal from public life was ‘the right thing to do’. They said: ‘William is becoming more and more involved in decisions about the institution [the monarchy] and he’s not a huge fan of his uncle Andrew.’
Andrew agreed to withdraw from public duty but initially wanted to remain a figurehead for some 200 charities and other affiliations. But he was forced to back down after many made it clear they no longer wanted his backing.
At least 23 organisations have either dropped him or accepted his resignation, including the English National Ballet, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Outward Bound Trust.
Several sponsors have also dropped their backing for his Pitch@Palace business initiative and the project has been told to find offices outside of Buckingham Palace.
There were calls for the duke’s business dealings and private finances to be scrutinised by the public finance committee, Parliament’s financial watchdog.
A spokesman insisted he would continue to work on the venture, now rebranded as Pitch. She added: ‘The duke will be stepping back from public duty and temporarily standing back from his patronages. The duke will continue to work on Pitch and will look at how he takes this forward outside of his public duties, and outside of Buckingham Palace.
‘We recognise there will be a period of time while this transition takes place.’
Prince Andrew, pictured during his interview with Emily Maitlis, is thought to have told the Queen that the broadcast was a success – despite near universal horror at his appearance – but has been sacked by his mother and brother
Andrew still remains a figurehead for several military organisations, including as honorary Colonel for the Grenadier Guards. Sources said some regiments felt ‘awkward’ about him featuring on their Christmas cards, but his military affiliations are expected to remain in place for now – although the Palace has said he would not take part in any events.
Royal biographer Penny Junor said she believed Andrew would be unable to return to royal duties after the scandal. ‘He’s absolutely finished,’ she told the Sunday Times. ‘If he is no longer representing or supporting the monarch in any capacity, or doing good charitably, what’s the point of him?’
Jeffrey Epstein victim says he boasted about friendship with Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson after raping her on his private island
A Jeffrey Epstein victim has claimed that he raped her before bragging about his relationship with Prince Andrew.
Chauntae Davies, now 40, who worked as Epstein’s masseuse and as an air hostess on his private plane, said the billionaire adorned his mansions with pictures of the eighth in line to the throne and his former wife Sarah Ferguson.
She fell into the paedophile’s path when she was a 21-year-old trainee massage therapist in Los Angeles and treated Ghislaine Maxwell at Beverly Hills’ Four Seasons Hotel.
Ms Davies alleged to The Sun on Sunday that she was raped by the billionaire on his private island.
Chauntae Davies, now 40 and who worked as Jeffrey Epstein’s masseuse and air hostess, said that he once raped her before bragging about his friendship with Prince Andrew. She is pictured on Dateline NBC in September this year
She also said that the paedophile’s homes were adorned with pictures of the Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. (Pictured: Duke of York in Buckingham Palace during disastrous BBC Newsnight interview)
Chauntae, seen with Epstein at his Caribbean bolthole during one of her trips to the island
‘I was very aware of Jeffrey Epstein’s friendship with Prince Andrew and Fergie right away’, she said.
‘It was one of several bragging tactics he used to further induce his power and privilege. He bragged a lot. He bragged about how he’d lent money to the Duchess.’
She also called on the Prince, who has been forced to retire from public duties after a car-crash BBC interview, to speak to the FBI.
Chauntae released never-before-seen photographs of her time on what has been dubbed ‘paedophile island’
‘There is no way you could have been a friend of Jeffrey’s and not know what was going on’, she said.
‘I don’t see how you could see somebody with another young girl all the time and there never being a conversation about it. It doesn’t add up.’
Ms Davies has previously alleged that the billionaire raped her either the third or fourth time that she was flown to his private Caribbean island. (Pictured: Epstein in Cambridge)
She also worked on the Lolita express, the billionaire’s private aeroplane, which was known for its orgies
Ms Davies has previously stated that she was raped by the billionaire the third or fourth time they met on Caribbean island Little St. James.
Andrew has previously admitted visiting the island and was named as a passenger on Epstein’s jet, known as the Lolita Express for its orgies, in August 2001, for a trip from New York to New Mexico.
Prince Andrew has always denied any allegations of wrongdoing during his friendship with Epstein.
Ms Davies also described how she spent two weeks ‘vomiting myself to death’ in a hospital after the alleged attack.
‘He took me by the wrist. I was searching for words but all I could say was please stop, but that only seemed to excite him more,’ she told a New York courtroom the first time that she spoke publicly about the event.
‘It took me a long time to come forward. Every public humiliation that I endured, I have suffered, and he has won.’
Prince Andrew is registered as a passenger on the Lolita Express, pictured, in August 2001
It came as a former Epstein employee, who has testified against him under the name ‘Tiffany Doe’, alleged the Prince had motor-boated her and that at the paedophile’s parties girls were selected specifically to appease the Duke.
‘The Duke seemed in good spirits and was out to enjoy himself’, she told The Sunday Mirror.
‘I always thought, Andrew liked my breasts. When he started to say hello he looked at them first rather than me.
‘After Andrew motor-boated me he tried to remember what it was meant to be called. He didn’t quite know the term ‘motorboat’. He said, ‘motor… something?’
‘He was trying to come off cool, but he didn’t know the words. I found him quite awkward, quite clumsy. He said I should be in a magazine for big-breasted women. It was a normal thing to happen at those parties.’
She also alleged that the girls had to be specially selected for Andrew to be curvy, and that she saw the Prince at parties a ‘couple of times a year’.
‘I would flirt with him and he would hit on me and was handsy. He would stand in close proximity, looking at my breasts’, she said.
