Prince Andrew ‘will chaperone the Queen at Derby on Platinum Jubilee weekend’
The Queen will be joined by her disgraced son Prince Andrew at the Derby on her Platinum Jubilee weekend, according to reports.
The Duke of York, who paid an alleged £12million settlement in a sexual abuse case brought by Virginia Giuffre earlier this year, was the subject of a separate court case this week.
He was quoted in testimony given to a High Court judge, in the case of a financial dispute between an elderly Turkish woman and a former banker.
It has now been claimed the 62-year-old shamer will escort Her Majesty to the Epsom races in June, reports the Mirror.
Speaking to The Sun, a source said: “He was supposed to go unseen during the platinum jubilee so there’s no way he was at events like Trooping the Colour.
“But the Queen needs a chaperone on all occasions at the moment due to her mobility issues and Andrew has named the Derby as where he will accompany her.
“He just doesn’t seem to understand the public outcry.”
Prince Andrew’s role in the Royal Family has been called into question after the end of the civil suit brought by Ms Giuffre earlier this year.
He made no admission of guilt but settled the case for an undisclosed sum believed to be £12million.
(Image: Getty)
The settlement came within months of returning his military titles and royal patronages to the Queen.
Amid such acrimony, Andrew accompanied his mother to a memorial service for Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey this week.
Prince Charles and his nephew Prince William have reportedly made their dissatisfaction clear with the role Andrew has played with the Queen.
(Image: Getty Images)
They did not want Andrew to be the one to accompany Her Majesty to the service on Tuesday and would have spoken to her more than once to raise their concerns.
The Queen went ahead and her so-called favorite son was the one seen across the world helping her along the aisle of Westminster Abbey, as the service was broadcast live on the BBC.
Both heirs to the throne were said to have been ‘shocked’ and appalled’ as Andrew emerged front and centre.
A source close to the Palace told the Mirror: “[Andrew] was straight out of the blocks in front of the cameras when the Duke of Edinburgh died, which was seen within the family as totally inappropriate.
“Now that this situation has unfolded, some believe he is manipulating his position for his own gains.”
Vanity Fair royal editor Katie Nicholl said the Queen deliberately chose for Andrew to play such an important role on the day and show the public that she “always makes the decisions”.
(Picture: PA)
Katie Nicholl said: “It was the Queen’s way of showing two things; one, that the buck stops with her and she makes the decisions, and two that she believes he is innocent. She has makes the point very, very clearly.
“Unfortunately, this photo [of Prince Andrew escorting the Queen] surpassed what should have been a memorial to a great man.”
Andrew has spent a lot of time with the ailing 95-year-old monarch, who has suffered a series of health issues in recent months and recovered from Covid.
The Duke of York, who lives on the Windsor Estate, was also ever present at his mother’s Windsor Castle following the death of her beloved husband Prince Philip, who died last April at the age of 99 years.
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