In a royal twist that insiders are calling “devastating,” King Charles reportedly delivered a brutal blow to his scandal-scarred brother Prince Andrew — by targeting his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
While the move was presented as part of a general cost-cutting effort back in 2011, sources say it was anything but routine.
Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, lost their taxpayer-funded police protection after their uncle, now King Charles, signed off on the removal — effectively leaving them exposed despite their royal bloodline.
And for Andrew, who’s long believed his daughters should be shielded from the fallout of his own controversies, the decision cut deep.
“Charles was fully aware of the impact,” a royal insider told RadarOnline.com. “This wasn’t just about money. It was aimed squarely at Andrew.”
“He took it very personally, believing his daughters were being punished for his mistakes.”
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond recalled Andrew being “very upset, affronted, insulted” by Charles’ actions.
And he wasn’t alone. Other experts say the removal of royal protection sent a clear message: Andrew’s fall from grace would extend to his family.
“Charles made it known he was distancing himself,” said Baroness Ayesha Hazarika. “This was a public signal that Andrew’s status — and that of his children — was no longer secure.”
The decision came well before Prince Andrew’s connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein exploded into global headlines, but Charles apparently saw trouble coming.
Once dubbed “Air Miles Andy,” the now-65-year-old Duke of York officially stepped back from public life in 2019, following a disastrous BBC interview and growing pressure over his Epstein ties. He later lost his military titles and royal patronages — and is no longer a working royal.
Charles tightened the noose in 2022 with a quiet legal move that reshaped the list of royals eligible to serve as Counsellors of State — senior family members who can stand in for the monarch. Andrew was effectively erased from that list, signaling that his time in the royal spotlight was officially over.
“It was a deliberate step,” a palace source confirmed. “Andrew has been sidelined. His influence is gone, and there’s no coming back.”
Interestingly, Charles has taken a much more complicated — and emotionally fraught — approach when it comes to his younger son, Prince Harry.
Despite Harry airing royal dirty laundry in his explosive memoir Spare and Netflix docuseries with Meghan Markle, insiders say Charles still holds out hope for reconciliation.
“Charles is torn,” said royal author Valentine Low. “He’s a monarch, yes, but he’s also a father. And it causes him great pain that his family is so fractured.”
The king, 76, has reportedly said he doesn’t want his final years “to be miserable,” suggesting there may still be a path for Harry — even if Andrew’s is well and truly blocked.
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the fracture started with the scandal caused by charles himself when he wasnt faithful to his beautiful and most-loved young wife. he lost the chance to offer england a vision of the royal family in a light that would have fillled the hearts and souls with contenment, pride, and deep allegiance to the crown.
*IF* the sole reason to remove their security detail is to “get back at Andrew” or teach him a lesson or whatever, its a poor decision. The girls are not at fault or blame for what their father did. If you want to punish Andrew, then punish HIM. And if the removal of security was due to other reasons and nothing to do with Andrew, then don’t bring that slant into the news. Don’t muddy the waters – report the news with just the facts. That being said, I can see removing Andrew’s security, because of all the crap he’s done … and it would be fair. Again though … why make the girls pay for their dad’s indiscretions? And if that is going to be the measuring stick by which one is determined to be worthy of security details (or not) for those within the Royal Family, then Charles should start with himself and Camilla as their hands aren’t too clean, either.