'Disgraced' Prince Andrew to have ‘prominent role’ at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral

Prince Andrew is expected to have a ‘prominent’ role at his mother Queen Elizabeth’s funeral despite being cast aside earlier over his multiple controversies including a sex abuse scandal.

Express UK quoted royal author Phil Dampier as suggesting that the disgraced Duke of York could be expected to have a front-and-center role in the Queen’s funeral as the royal family is reportedly ‘putting aside’ scandals to come together to pay respect to the late Queen.

Talking to LBC, Dampier said: “I think Prince Andrew will have a fairly prominent role.”

He went on to add: “We have already seen that outside Balmoral when he was comforting his daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, who are clearly very upset by the touching floral tributes.

Dampier also noted that Prince Andrew “seemed to be almost taking charge of the rest of the royals” when the family stepped out of Windsor on Saturday, September 10, 2022 to see flowers put down by mourners.

The author further said: “I think he will have a prominent role at the funeral and I don’t think anyone can begrudge him this, despite the scandals he’s been involved in. He was extremely close to the Queen; he probably saw more of her than any of the other siblings towards the end.”

“He lived just down the road at the Royal Lodge and saw her virtually every day and looked after her. I don't think anyone would begrudge seeing a son grieve for his mother,” Dampier concluded.

Prince Andrew had earlier been forced to retreat back from his public role in the monarchy after he was accused of having illicit sexual relations with a minor and over his connections to convicted American paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

After he was taken to court over sexual abuse allegations, Prince Andrew was stripped off his HRH style and military titles.