Following the untimely and tragic suicide of Virgina Giuffre last week, her family hailed her a ‘fierce warrior’ in raising awareness of sexual abuse and sex trafficking. 

Encouraging sexual abuse victims worldwide to speak out, Virginia – who leaves behind three children and died at the age of just 41 – fought for justice after it was alleged in 2015 that Prince Andrew had sex with her when she was 17,  a year after it was revealed she had been trafficked by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein aged16. 

Following the news of her death, Prince Andrew, 65 – who has continuously denied the allegations and paid Virginia an out-of-court sum to settle her 2021/2022 court case – was spotted leaving his home, the Royal Lodge in Windsor, alongside ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, looking downcast and sombre. 

However, with the Firm plunged into yet another crisis, sources tell us that Prince Andrew’s alleged ‘role’ in Virginia’s life ‘weighs heavily’ on the mind of King Charles and, now,  this heart-breaking and sudden turn of events has only confirmed the monarch’s wish to kick his brother out of Royal Lodge, and any public facing roles, for good. 

An insider reveals, ‘There’s a collective feeling that, even if he did settle the case, Virginia may have been haunted by him for her entire adult life, and this is a truly tragic ending to one of the most sordid scandals involving a member of the monarchy in living memory. 

Though he denies having met Virginia, ‘Prince Andrew is apparently in deep shock over this suicide news and he’s well aware that it raises fresh questions about his right to be protected or housed by the Royal Family.’

They add, ‘The royals, in turn, want this to be the cue to finally get tough and show him the door. He is still very much a threat to the reputation and status of the monarchy, and that hangs in the air around the palace like a smell and weighs heavily on the King’s mind.’ 

A condemning series of court documents unveiled during the case against Financier and repeat child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2015 were the first to allege that Prince Andrew had sex with Virginia in 2001 at Epstein’s home. She is alleged to have been 17 at the time and under the state’s age of consent. 

Prince Andrew, who is the late Queen’s middle son and father to Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, is also alleged to have had sex with Virginia again during an ‘orgy’ on Epstein’s private Caribbean island the following year. 

The case hit another sordid low in 2019 when Epstein died of suicide behind bars while waiting for his trial. 

Many saw Epstein’s suicide as an admission of guilt and an event that that ultimately forced Prince Andrew to sit down for his disastrous BBC interview with Emily Maitlis, during which he denied ever meeting Virginia despite there being a photo of the two standing together with his hand around her waist. 

Shortly after the interview made a mockery of Prince Andrew, he announced he was stepping back from public duties ‘for the foreseeable future’, but has since remained at the sprawling Royal Lodge on the grounds of the Windsor Estate.

Now the source says that after having reportedly cut Prince Andrew off financially – completely slashing his almost £1 million ‘pocket money’ from the privy purse – the expansive Royal Lodge has remained a huge point of contention for King Charles, 76, who numerous reports have suggested wants him to move to a property not in the royal portfolio. 

The source says, ‘The King has made no secret of the fact he would like Andrew to leave Royal Lodge, as would Kate Middleton and Prince William.

‘For the royals it’s egregious that Andrew effectively used The Queen’s money to pay Virginia off, and the stain of his association with Epstein as well as his twisted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell (Epstein’s former girlfriend) is just totally beyond the pale on so many levels. 

‘The King and Queen, the Waleses and even Princess Anne all agree it’s for the best if he stays out of sight as much as possible and it would serve everyone’s interests if he found another place to live.’ 

To date, Andrew – who has lived at Royal Lodge with Fergie 2004 – has stubbornly refused to budge, even recently reportedly taking up gardening as a hobby and to maintain the Grade II house’s grounds after having to fork out from his own savings to spend on much needed renovations. 

Not only that, but he was also photographed attending the royal Easter Service at Windsor Castle with the King and Queen earlier this month following a telling absence from their Christmas Service. 

But now the source says the Firm fear that Prince Andrew is trying to find his way back into a public facing role as he remains resolute that his ‘relationship’ with Virginia ‘didn’t happen’. 

The insider adds, ‘He’s been muscling his way into various social functions – mainly by tagging along with Sarah and his daughters. 

‘He’s very thick skinned, it’s as though much of the criticism either bounces off him or he’s able to totally ignore it.’

However, as a potential new reality looms closer, the insider says Prince Andrew has been considering following in his nephew Prince Harry’s footsteps and releasing a tell-all, should he be forced into raising more money to purchase a private property. 

The source explains, ‘There’s still that veiled threat Andrew could go scorched earth and write a tell-all book if the worst case scenario happens and he is formally booted from the Firm.

‘A lot of people believe it’s a big reason why he’s been granted this stay of execution – until now – and kept his residence in Royal Lodge, along with Sarah, because Charles doesn’t want the aggravation of going to ‘war’ with his brother. 

‘But now things have changed and it’s a risk many are willing to take.’ 

Following King Charles’ diagnosis of an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year, for which he is receiving on-going treatment, Prince William has also willingly stepped up his duties as the Heir Apparent and to help his dad. 

Now sources say that while Prince Andrew is hoping this scandal will ‘blow over’, Prince William isn’t likely to take the diplomatic approach of his father. 

They say, ‘Prince Andrew is hanging on in as long as he can, hoping the storm will pass and he’ll eventually be phased back into royal life. 

‘It’s a totally delusional dream though, because His Majesty will never let that happen and when William takes the Crown he’s vowed to have zero tolerance towards his Uncle. 

‘In fact he’s pushing hard for his father to do the right thing and forcibly eject Andrew at the earliest opportunity, certainly this year. He thinks not doing so is sending an extremely bad precedent. Only time will tell, but Andrew is walking on ice right now.’