Prince Andrew relegated to ‘dogwalker in chief’ under Charles as he faces being frozen out of royal life, say experts
PRINCE Andrew will be nothing more than the Royal dog walker in chief under King Charles III as the disgraced Duke faces being nearly totally frozen out of the family, experts have said.
Royal observers believe shamed Andrew - often dubbed The Queen's favourite - faces very little meaningful future in The Firm despite his well reported ambition to return to frontline duties.
Andrew is attempting to rehab his image as he dreams of making a comeback after humiliatingly settling out of court with sex accuser Virginia Giuffre.
It was the latest in a lengthy string of embarrassments which were seen as bringing shame on the Royals and infuriating his older brother King Charles.
And with The Queen no longer at the head of the table to offer him comfort, experts believe the Duke's chances of anything resembling a resurgence are bleak.
Despite reports Charles will let Andrew keep the £30million, seven bedroom Royal Lodge at Windsor for now - it's believed he may still face being booted out alongside ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.
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So his future could be little more than simply looking after The Queen's three surviving corgis - Candy, Muick and Sandy - who he inherited after her death.
It looks there is no chance for him to get back his estimated £248,000 pocket money he used to get as a "working Royal" from The Queen.
Andrew's only known annual income is his £20,000 annual pension from the Royal Navy.
But it's likely he still has extensive personal wealth from investments and is expected to have been gifted extensive sums in the wills of The Queen and his dad Prince Philip.
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His exact inheritance may never be known - but Andrew could have to tone down his notoriously flashy and luxurious lifestyle, with posh hotels, flash cars and jet setting as "Air Miles Andy".
Royal expert Nigel Cawthorne however told The Sun Online that Andrew could end up receiving a token allowance from Charles.
It would almost act as a "hush money" payment to keep him out of the picture and make sure he behaves.
Cawthorne - who has written multiple books on the Duke and his relationship with paedophiles Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell - is confident Andrew will never again return to public life.
"I can't see he's got much of a role [in the Royals] aside from Lord High Dogwalker - keeper of the royal corgis," he told The Sun Online.
He explained that despite settling the civil case - his problems around Virginia and his history with Epstein and Maxwell aren't going away any time soon.
Virginia is still expected to release a tell all memoir, and there are two rival movies in the works about his car crash Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis.
Cawthorne added that Andrew will be "lucky" if he keeps hold of his home, The Royal Lodge.
Who would want him? What supermarket or school wants Andrew cutting the ribbon?
Nigel Cawthorne
He explained the brothers have a deeply rooted "rivalry" which dates all the way back from Andrew's birth, to their duelling careers in the Royal Navy, and then the Duke's attempted "coup" during the 90s when Andrew tried to set himself up as William's Regent.
"And since then, Andrew has consistently embarrassed The Firm," said Cawthorne.
Despite being pushed away however, Andrew may remain beholden to Charles for cash.
And if the King does not support him, the Duke could become a "loose cannon" and further cosy up to his "dodgy friends", explained Cawthorne.
He added: "[Andrew] could end up embarrassing them even more - so instead [Charles] would have to give him some 'hush money'."
And as far as Andrew's desire to have his military titles and patronages returned, Cawthorne bluntly said: "Who would want him?
"What supermarket or school wants Andrew cutting the ribbon?"
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams agreed that Andrew will likely never return to frontline life - instead likely being placed into a backroom role within the Royal estates.
Charles would seek to keep the idle Duke busy even as Andrew stews over the fact he doesn't seem to think he's done anything wrong amid the scandals.
"It isn't remotely conceivable he could get his titles and patronages back," he told The Sun Online.
"There is no public support for him at all."
Fitzwilliams suggested the only way Andrew could come back would be attempting to making amends through charitable work or cooperating with the FBI over their probe into Epstein.
But the problem is simply the Duke "doesn't see it that way" as he doesn't believe he has done anything make amends for.
"He doesn't see he's transgressed beyond accepting he's been unwise," he added.
Andrew was "no doubt a loving son" and was "close to The Queen", Fitzwilliams said.
But his "dreadful" handling of scandals and his "prickly" relationship with Charles will likely doom him from a return to frontline duties.
Andrew is currently still a counsellor of state - a role which means he could temporarily deputise from Charles.
But it is role he has held since 1981 - and one he holds alongside Camilla, William, Harry and Beatrice.
It has been suggested Charles could seek to drop Andrew and replace him with their sister Princess Anne.
And just weeks before her death, Andrew is reported to have been having "intense talks" with The Queen about his future.
Andrew has come under intense scrutiny in recent years over his friendship with Epstein and Maxwell.
But it has also reopened questions about his finances and his party lifestyle.
His private wealth has been described as "shrouded in mystery".
Andrew is known to have rubbed shoulders with sketchy characters, such as Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev and Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi.
And there have been calls for a parliamentary inquiry into Andrew's financial situation.
The Duke also pledged to offer his help to law enforcement probing Epstein when he appeared on Newsnight - but more than 1,000 days later he is still not believed to have spoken to the FBI.
