Andrew just proved he's not done humiliating the Royal Family - he's only got one job left
Andrew has caused embarrassment after embarrassment, but he's not done yet, writes Deputy Royal Editor Rebecca Russell.
It is, on some level, an irony of Shakespearean proportion that Prince Edward and Sophie - easily two of the hardest-working members of the Royal Family - were forced to spend their Easter break in a holiday home because of Andrew’s indeterminable level of self-importance.
As they always do, they hoped to spend their short break from their busy jobs, which see them represent the King all over the world, at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate. But could they? Take a guess…
Despite it originally being intended as little more than a stopgap between his eviction from Royal Lodge and his move into Marsh Farm, Andrew has dug his heels in at Wood Farm and is refusing to budge.
Given that his name will forever be etched in history as the ultimate cautionary tale, he really has nothing left to lose - but it does seem that Andrew only has one job left – he is a human speed bump: unmoveable and existing only to slow down the people who actually have somewhere to be.
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The sense of irony in this whole mess is almost poetic. Why is it that two of the most productive and popular champions of the crown are the ones getting punished while Andrew continues to saunter around his brother’s home while he drags out his permanent move?
On one hand, you have Edward and Sophie, the picture of normality and the ultimate safe pair of hands King Charles relies on, and who, in time, Prince William will do too. While the headlines were stolen by the Sussexes’ departure and dominated by the Yorks' slurry of scandals, they got on with it, quietly, with dignity.
They’ve regularly jetted around the world, bringing attention where it needs to be - on sexual violence in conflict zones, on avoidable blindness, on opportunities for young people in disadvantaged areas and on gender equality.
Where has Andrew been? Deludedly clip-clopping around Windsor Great Park, driving between his temporary home and his new one, running up an enormous bill of home improvements for the King to foot and apparently relishing the novelty of having a white static home at his disposal. Yes, really…
Now he’s digging his heels in at a home that doesn’t even belong to him? Who does he honestly think he is?
Forget the PR narrative that Andrew is some sort of reformed character embracing a humble lifestyle, enjoying his jaunts to the caravan in his garden; he is actively sabotaging his Marsh Farm move. From allegedly billing the King for curtain alterations to hiring luxury movers for his priceless Royal Lodge art, his banishment to Sandringham has become an expensive, ego-driven headache for a brother who really doesn't need the grief.
The ‘Andrew problem’ should have been solved long ago – he was stripped of his titles and had every honour, no matter how small, taken from his name. He’s been removed from his old home and has been met with the very kind, albeit entirely undeserved, offer of having his new home and lifestyle funded by the King - and he’s still making trouble?
He’s not only doing it for his own amusement – he’s now blocking the very people who are still devotedly ensuring the Royal Family survives, too.
It is time to stop this polite tip-toeing around a difficult subject. The King may have been rightfully swift and exacting with his action against Andrew, but now it’s time for the final surgical swipe to cut him out once and for all.
Edward and Sophie shouldn't have to make accommodations; if there's no room to house the people who actually lift the monarchy up, it shouldn't be because some non-working, unremorseful, title-stripped relative is being difficult. It's really time to stop indulging the dead weight.
