Prince Andrew ‘lobbying Queen to have royal status reinstated’, report says

Andrew lost his title as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards in January

Prince Andrew reportedly wants to see his HRH title returned

(Getty)

The Duke of York is pushing for a return to royal duties and has asked the Queen to reinstate his role as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards.

The prince lost the coveted role along with other military titles and royal patronages in January.

The monarch’s disgraced second son stepped down from public life after the furore over his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and after he paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case against Virginia Giuffre.

Prince Andrew claims he has never met Ms Giuffre and denied all allegations against him.

Almost six months on, he not only wants to be reinstated as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, but also wants to be able to attend royal engagements alongside other members of the royal family, according to The Telegraph.

The newspaper said he is also pushing to get his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, to be given working royal status.

“The colonelcy of the Grenadier Guards was his most coveted title, and he wants it back,” The Telegraph quoted a royal source as saying.

“Having remained a Counsellor of the State, he also believes he should be included at royal and state events.”

Andrew inherited the title from the Duke of Edinburgh upon his retirement from public life in 2017

(AFP/Getty Images)

Since being sacked from all official duties, the prince has taken a step away from public life – only making an appearance at Prince Philip’s memorial service in March.

Although Prince Andrew was expected to make a public appearance at the Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle on Monday, it has now been reported he has been banned from appearing in public at the service.

The Sunday Times had claimed that Prince Andrew, who is a Garter Knight, would be present alongside senior members of the royal family on Monday for the annual service in St George’s Chapel.

But The Sun said that heirs to the throne, the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge, had lobbied the Queen on the issue.

Senior royals feared a “backlash”, the newspaper said, adding that Princes Charles and William were said to have agreed their approach before telling the Queen, who made the final decision.

Buckingham Palace and a representative for Prince Andrew have been contacted for comment.