Prince Andrew Is Seen for the First Time After Pausing His Royal Duties for the "Foreseeable Future"
Months of criticism and accusations against Prince Andrew finally came to a head yesterday, when Buckingham Palace announced that he would be stepping back from his royal role. Queen Elizabeth was seen soon after the bombshell dropped—she attended a previously scheduled event in celebration of Sir David Attenborough—but the prince himself wasn't spotted until today.
This morning, photos of Prince Andrew show him in a car, leaving his home in Windsor. He was photographed shortly before news broke that his Pitch@Palace initiative would continue, even as he resigns from public duties.
"Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Duke of York will continue to work on Pitch@Palace because it is a private initiative," reads a tweet from Sky News.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the Duke of York will continue to work on Pitch@Palace because it is a private initiative
— Sky News Breaking (@SkyNewsBreak) November 21, 2019
According to the Daily Mail, it's expected that the royal family will continue to hold meetings today, as they brace for further fallout.
Sources for the Telegraph claim that a subpoena from U.S. authorities is thought to be "imminent." The summons would compel Prince Andrew to testify under oath about his relationship with Jeffery Epstein—and, possibly, to address the accusations levied against him by Virginia Roberts Giuffre. He has denied those allegations vehemently in the past.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment about a possible subpoena.
Another source for the Telegraph noted that, in the end, it was Queen Elizabeth herself who made the decision to strip Andrew of his royal responsibilities. "The Duke was summoned from his home Royal Lodge Windsor to see the Queen personally at Buckingham Palace," the "well-placed" source told the publication. "Effectively he was told to bow out gracefully. They agreed he could release a statement saying it was his decision but it was the Queen who told him to do it."
Read Prince Andrew's statement in full below.
It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organizations and charities that I am proud to support.
Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.
I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.
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