Duke believes ‘he can be of service’
When the Queen stepped out with the Duke of York by her side at the service to commemorate her late husband, it swiftly became the focus of the day.
It was ultimately the Queen, 95, who decided that she wanted her second son to accompany her but those around him also insist he has a right to attend future events.
‘‘If he is rehabilitated then I think he can do a lot of good,’’ one source told The Times.
Days after the memorial he used his former wife’s Instagram platform to share a 700-word account of his role in the Falklands conflict, recounting being shot at and returning home as a ‘‘changed man’’.
Sarah, the Duchess of York, deleted the post hours later, apparently because of the widely hostile reaction it garnered.
This willingness to place himself in the public eye only bolstered speculation over a possible comeback for Andrew, 62, who settled a civil sexual assault case with Virginia Giuffre for, it is said, £7 million (NZ$13m) weeks ago and stepped down from public
duties in 2019. Despite the tide of sentiment against him and the palace insiders who insist that there can be no return, sources confirmed that the duke still harbours ambitions of a public role.
‘‘In the past, he has done a lot of good things for charities, also in his capacity as UK trade ambassador,’’ one said. ‘‘If he is rehabilitated,
then I think he can do a lot of good. The settlement had no admission of guilt.’’
Others willing to speak in his defence believe that his treatment has been unfair.
‘‘He’s clearly in an awful place,’’ a source who knows the duke said. ‘‘If you read it [the Instagram post], it was incredibly personal, and incredibly thoughtful.
‘‘Even the reaction to that ... here he was as a veteran sharing something deeply personal on this important anniversary – it was surprising that it couldn’t be read as what it was. There are rightfully some questions of him but there is rarely a balanced judgment of him in the media. He has a lot to give to people who will let him give.’’
The duke has become embroiled in a High Court case between Selman Turk, an alleged fraudster, and Nebahat Isbilen, a Turkish millionairess. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by the duke, although his representatives have declined to explain why he received more than £1m from Turk, whom he is said to have met through Tarek Kaituni, a convicted gun smuggler.
‘‘His ambition to return to public life and his belief that he can be of service remains undimmed,’’ a royal source told The Times this week.
‘‘But he is the only one who sees it that way.’’
His options appear limited. Although a picture has been painted of a family at loggerheads with Andrew, it is understood that he has continued to receive kindness and support from his siblings behind the scenes.
Charles, 73, ‘‘has a very clear delineation in his mind’’, the royal source said.
‘‘On the one hand, the Duke of York is his brother whom he loves, who he will support as any sibling would through difficult times, just as support has been offered by the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex.
‘‘What they [the siblings] are very good at is understanding the difference between the family dynamic and the institutional need.’’
Charles is ‘‘less sympathetic’’ when it comes to the duke’s public role – and his view that there is no way back for his beleaguered brother is unlikely to change.
‘‘The recent events will have only served to strengthen that position,’’ the source said. ‘‘But although there is increasing consultation between the Queen, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge, the Queen remains at the helm of this ship.’’
The duke will have no formal role at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, but may still attend certain events privately. –