‘Andrew is a disaster – he’s attracted to seedy billionaires & destroyed his future… but here’s what he needs to do now’

DISGRACED Prince Andrew is a “complete disaster” and his attraction to “seedy billionaires” has led to his own downfall, a royal expert has claimed.

Andrew gave up using his royal titles in disgrace after he was engulfed in the sex abuse case with Virginia Giuffre and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew made the announcement in a statement released tonight where he revealed he would relinquish using all his titles – including the Order of the Garter.

He made his decision in “close consultation” with the King who is said to be “glad” with the outcome.

The wider Royal Family including Prince William were also consulted, it is understood.

Now, royal expert Ingrid Seward has claimed that “entitled” Andrew’s fall from grace seemed inevitable, branding the former Duke of York a “complete disaster”.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun she said: “I think that Andrew has always been too entitled.

“He’s too attracted to, as his father said, you know, seedy billionaires.

“He doesn’t have the strength of character to deal with these kind of people and I think, basically, he’s turned out to be a complete disaster.”

The former Duke of York’s behaviour and controversies were always going to catch up with him, Ingrid claimed.

And she spoke of how “arrogant” Andrew had put King Charles in an increasingly difficult situation after each scandal broke.

The royal expert added: “Everyone knows that every time there’s going to be a whisper of scandal, somehow or other it’s going to be related to him [Andrew].

“And however arrogant Prince Andrew might be, he’s totally aware that it is damaging to his brother, the King.”

Ingrid pointed out how Andrew maintains his innocence regarding Virginia Guiffre – but it is all too late now.

She said: “So, even after all this, and the latest Epstein email, which has really made all this happen, he’s still saying, you know, that he is innocent.

“The royal family could see that he was incredibly damaging to the monarchy, and if you read the comments and things that people say, I mean, he is despised.”

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Ingrid said that Andrew was seen as a “liar” and his lack of honour has damaged not just his brother Charles but the monarchy as an institution.

Ingrid added: “Well, I think once you’ve lied about something once, the consensus of opinion is that you’ve lied about everything.

“So we probably don’t believe a word that Prince Andrew says. And that is what’s important.

“He is a man without honour, without reputation, and therefore he is damaging to his brother, the king. It’s really that simple.

“I think the royal family will be very sad, and I think that they are probably very angry with Andrew.”

As for Andrew’s future, having been increasingly shunted to the side over the past years, Ingrid is not holding out much hope.

She added: “As far as I can see at the moment, Andrew has no future. The only future he has is a future that will be of his own making.

“And if he was perhaps prepared to be more humble and say, look, I have made a complete mess of my life, and I had more opportunities than anyone, probably in this world will ever have, or ever has been able to have, and I’ve really messed up.”

However, the royal expert did say that the onus was on Andrew to try and make “something good” out of the rest of his life.

She added: “He has to make the decision, say, right, I’ve messed up, and I’m going to try and mend my life.

“I think Andrew should start a new life, and forget about his royal life, and just get on with another life.

“Maybe he would like to make amends in some way by, you know, doing a great deal of charity work and just keeping just keeping right out of any kind of public eye, and getting on very quietly with a different type of life.

“In a way, losing all these titles gives him a freedom that he didn’t have before. If he can see that, he might be able to move forward.”

But despite handing his titles back he will remain at Royal Lodge as he has a “cast iron” tenancy until 2078. 

Andrew and Sarah Ferguson were given their titles Duke and Duchess of York on their wedding day in 1986.

Sarah will also drop her Duchess title, it has been confirmed.

Andrew remains Duke of York but the title will not be used.

A statement by Prince Andrew read: “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.

“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.

“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”

It is seen as a spectacular fall from grace for Andy who was once the late Queen’s favourite son, served with honour in the Falklands War and employed as UK’s trade envoy for ten years.

Titles have not been forcibly revoked since World War One when the Titles Deprivation Act was used to remove dukedoms from German princes.

If Andrew had not given up Duke of York, it would have meant the Cabinet Office stepping in with an Act of Parliament.

A YouGov poll over the summer had showed two-thirds backed removing his remaining titles.

Palace sources also confirmed that Andrew will not be invited to Christmas celebrations at Sandringham.

And he is likely to be banished from all future major royal events.

The downfall of the King’s brother comes after he has been involved in a series of scandals including his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and his “close” relationship with an alleged Chinese spy.

Andrew had already been stripped of his military titles by his mum the late Queen Elizabeth in January 2022 while defending a civil sex case against Virginia Giuffre, which saw him come to a multi-million pound settlement.

In January 2022, as a US judge ruled that a civil sexual assault case against him by Virginia could proceed, the Queen stripped him of all his military titles and royal patronages.

It was also announced that he would no longer use the style “His Royal Highness” in any official capacity.

In March 2022 Andrew settled out-of-court with Virginia, paying her an undisclosed amount while denying any wrongdoing.

The latest Epstein bombshell was that Andrew told the paedo financier “we are in this together” in an email on February 29 2011.

That message was sent just a day after the infamous photo of him with alleged sex abuse victim Virginia Giuffre emerged.

The new bombshell message proved the Duke lied when he told BBC Newsnight he ceased contact with the financier three months earlier.

During the interview in November 2019, he alleged he did not recall ever meeting Ms Giuffre, despite the photographic evidence from 2001 – and said he did not regret his friendship with Epstein.

He has remained in the shadows of the Firm ever since – but has always denied having sex with Ms Giuffre.

Andrew was banned from being a working royal and prevented from using his HRH title.