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Prince Andrew and scandals go hand in hand. The Duke of York can’t seem to keep himself away from controversy whether it’s his former association with the late Jeffrey Epstein or his latest spy issue — Andrew is a major headache for King Charles III.
Still, the disgraced royal family member seems to have an exit plan, according to The Daily Beast. Andrew’s ties to the Middle East might have earned him a gifted palace in Abu Dhabi, per royal expert Andrew Lownie. Lownie, the author of Traitor King: The Scandalous Exile of the Duke & Duchess of Windsor, told the media outlet, “Andrew has been given the use of a palace by the Abu Dhabi authorities. It costs them nothing. He has been spending a lot of time out there in recent years and I am told by reliable sources that from next year he may divide his time between the Middle East and the U.K. He is expected to go between the two.” A page from the Prince Harry playbook!
Andrew might be looking for a place to go after his controversial ties to Chinese businessman, Yang Tengbo, reached a fever pitch in the last few weeks. Tengbo has been exiled from the U.K. for allegedly being a spy for China and Andrew reportedly gave him inside access to the royal family. Needless to say, Charles was not pleased, and Andrew’s entire family is skipping the traditional Christmas holiday at Sandringham.
Andrew’s ties to the Middle East have come into question as a possible source of funding for Royal Lodge. Charles has been working hard to evict his brother from the 30-room property in favor of the smaller Frogmore Cottage, but his younger brother refused. Even after cutting off his security detail and allowance, Andrew found a way to stay put. Princess Beatrice got dragged into the conversation because the Daily Mail believes her frequent trips to the Middle East might be the reason he found someone to “bankroll his stay at Royal Lodge.”
If the situation becomes untenable in the U.K. for Prince Andrew, he has a place to go — actually, he has a palace waiting for him. That’s where things get tricky for Charles because Andrew’s entire family seems entwined with businesses and dignitaries in the Middle East.
“[Beatrice has] become a culture ambassador of sorts for the UK in the Middle East. She seems a popular, more accessible figure in the Middle East, particularly as we’re seeing fewer senior royals such as the King, Prince William and Kate making visits here,” noted Al-Monitor journalist Jennifer Gnana to The Times. “I suppose Princess Beatrice represents a more modern and accessible face of the British monarchy that works for engagement in the Middle East.”
With people like Lownie asking for accountability from the royal family, Charles may have to step up and draw the line somewhere. “The whole family are up to their necks in it,” Lownie pointed out to The Daily Beast. “The children, Beatrice and Eugenie, have been out in the Middle East and so has Fergie.”
The royal family’s scandals never seem to end.
Before you go, click to see all the biggest royal scandals in the past 50 years.
