Andrew Snubs King Charles’ Balmoral Invitation

Toby Melville / Toby Melville/ Reuters Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has turned down King Charles’s offer to join the royal family on their annual vacation.

The former Prince, who has reportedly not seen his brother this year, was offered the olive branch as up to 30 royals prepare to visit Balmoral in Scotland.

The King’s decision to invite Andrew to join him over the next month is set to horrify the victims of Jeffrey Epstein.

A friend of Andrew’s told The Sun, who first reported the story, that he feels he has been “abandoned,” that “he is no longer part of the family,” and that he saw no point “of going all the way there for a much-needed holiday and being treated as an elephant in the room.” The annual trip to Balmoral is an important fixture of the constitutional calendar, with this spurned invitation raising the question of Andrew being invited to the Christmas church service at the Sandringham estate.

Andrew has lived full-time at Sandringham after Charles evicted him from his 30-room Windsor home earlier this year.

By declining the latest offer, Andrew has spared Charles the spectacle of his brother wandering around Balmoral while the papers ask what on earth he is doing there.

When Andrew’s titles were removed in October, Buckingham Palace said: “These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.” They added: “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.” The police investigation into Andrew remains ongoing, after he was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, accused of sharing sensitive information with Epstein while serving as the UK’s trade envoy, questioned for around twelve hours and released under investigation.

The inquiry has since been reported to have broadened towards sexual assault and trafficking allegations, yet no details of any kind are forthcoming.

Andrew is also expected to give evidence in a British court this December in the trial of a man who denies threatening or abusive behavior towards him.

Alex Jenkinson, 39, pleaded not guilty to causing Andrew to fear unlawful violence during an incident near the Sandringham estate on 6 May, in which Andrew, out walking his dogs, says a man in a balaclava “began to sprint after my vehicle.” Jenkinson, the court heard, is homeless, living in a hotel, and was not allowed to bring his dog (which his lawyer said provides him with support as he suffers from ADHD) into the courtroom.