Prince Andrew has finally left Balmoral, he’s driving back to Windsor

Duke of Edinburgh death

Prince Andrew spent much of the summer at Balmoral with his mother and his ex-wife. He traveled to Balmoral just days after the Queen arrived there, and he spent a few weeks hiding away from photographers and spending time with his family. Then he went back to Royal Lodge for a few weeks, where he tried to hide from the process server. He was allegedly going “stir crazy,” so he went back to Balmoral around September 7th-8th. He was there for three solid weeks, even refusing to leave when his daughter Beatrice gave birth to his first granddaughter. Well, he’s finally leaving.

Brazen Prince Andrew beamed and waved as he ended his three-week Balmoral hideaway. The Duke of York had been hiding out in the Queen’s 50,000-acre Scottish estate to avoid US lawyers trying to serve sex abuse lawsuit papers on him. But the bold prince smiled and waved at passersby as he ventured out for the first time since beginning his voluntary self-isolation earlier this month.

On Friday, lawyers officially conceded that the legal papers relating to Virginia Roberts’ sex assault claims have been served to the duke’s legal team. Virginia – a victim of paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – is attempting to sue the Duke in a New York court after alleging she was forced to have sex with him three times when she was 17. Andrew has always vehemently denied the claims.

The duke today left Balmoral at 10am to travel to Windsor, where he is expected to meet his new granddaughter for the first time. His daughter Beatrice, 33, gave birth to her first child with husband Edo Mapelli Mozzi this month.

[From The Sun]

I just wanted to make note of this because I’m sure the courtiers will still try to make it sound like the Queen has put distance between herself and her favorite son. She has not. Andrew stayed with the Queen for almost her entire time in Balmoral. I’m sure she’s paying for his team of lawyers, just as I’m sure that the Queen will likely pay for any kind of financial settlement between Andrew and Virginia Giuffre. All of that was one of the big reasons why Andrew spent so much time in Balmoral this summer: he wanted to ensure that he still has mummy’s protection.

Interestingly enough – I guess – is that Sarah Ferguson was basically with him the whole time. She did travel to London to meet Beatrice’s baby, but even after Bea gave birth, Fergie still traveled back up to Scotland. She was there for three separate visits over the course of three months.

Apparently, people are mad at Andrew because he’s driving back to Windsor (a 500-mile journey) and there are long lines for gasoline (“petrol” in Brit-speak) everywhere in the UK.

Duke of Edinburgh death

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

21 Responses to “Prince Andrew has finally left Balmoral, he’s driving back to Windsor”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Chaine says:

    what a self-serving idiot. missed supporting his daughter the last weeks of her pregnancy, missed seeing the birth of his grandchild and her first few weeks of wife, all in support of a ridiculous legal charade that was never going to succeed.

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      Not at all surprised at this. He comes from a thoroughly dysfunctional family who would rather destroy anyone who calls out their dysfunction than address the dysfunction. Andrew knows he is protected for as long as his mother is alive. He will make the most of it.

  2. GR says:

    Interesting that the Sun refers to Andrew as “bold” abd “brazen.”

    • goofpuff says:

      Isn’t that how they word W&K when they want them to appear modern? Like Andrew is defying the upstart Americans?

  3. ModeratelyWealthy says:

    IMO, Andrew has already accepted his full-time job is the Queen´s companion not in public events ( they had the Wessexes for that and the in-training William) but in private, because he wants to ensure both the 1) financing of his defense and 2) monetary future of his “line”.

    He will milk the Queen till the day she dies because he knows after that, all he can expect is to be forgotten.

    • Belly says:

      This is completely plausible.

      I’m hoping he’s shunned by all after Betty dies and takes her protection with her.

      Toss him overboard.

      Also, great choice of pic. He looks like undercooked dough with halitosis.

  4. Amy Bee says:

    He had to leave Balmoral because the Queen’s going back to Windsor soon. I don’t know why the Sun is pretending to be appalled at Andrew’s behaviour. In a different climate they would be openly supporting Andrew in this case. The fact that Andrew is able to live a comfortable life is a testament to the fact that the Palace and the press have protected. If this was anyone else, there would be daily calls in the press for Andrew to be stripped of his titles and to talk to the FBI.

    • Jane says:

      Well, with the Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa murders the top UK news stories this week, now is not the time for The Sun to be seen coddling an accused rapist. Next week they’ll probably be back to attacking Virginia Giuffre though.

      • Amy Bee says:

        @Jane: That’s why I said it’s a different climate now. They can’t openly support a paedophile or blame the victim for her abuse.

  5. Harper says:

    We still don’t know Beatrice’s baby’s name. Where is the outrage at her withholding that info?

    And we still don’t have photos of the Keenbridges at James Middleton’s wedding.

  6. Merricat says:

    The Windsors seemed determined to prove in every conceivable way that they are trash humans. I’ve said it before, if he remarries Fergie, it will be due to their mutual need for legal protection.

  7. Coco says:

    I have Monty Python’s ‘Brave Sir Robin’ in my head now.
    Brave Prince Andrew drove away.
    Bravely drove away, away.
    When justice reared its legal head,
    He bravely turned his tail and fled…
    When lawsuits cause his wallet hurt,
    He bravely hides past Mother’s skirts.
    Bravest of the brave, Prince Andrew.

  8. Eurydice says:

    I don’t get it. When the Queen looks at the photo of Andrew and Virginia, what is she thinking? “That can’t be my boy, he has fat fingers”? Actually, I don’t want to know what she’s thinking – I’d probably have to bleach my brain.

  9. Becks1 says:

    Bold and brazen, hmmm? You don’t say, Sun.

    And yes, he’s leaving because the queen is leaving soon and going back to public duties so Andrew is going to have to find something new to do with his time.

  10. anotherlily says:

    He isn’t driving 500 miles back to Windsor. He’s driving to Aberdeen where his private helicopter is waiting.

  11. RoyalBlue says:

    Oh how I despise this man and the unfair and corrupt system that keeps him steady in this position.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      Yes and how willing those around him blatantly support him. Fergie’s comments about him being a good, honest man. Coming from her, I am side eyeing her track record as well!