PRINCE Andrew will only step down from royal duties “for a few months” over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, it has been claimed today.
The 59-year-old this week confirmed he would withdrawn from public life “for the foreseeable future” after his so-called “car-crash” interview over his friendship with the paedo financier.
Yet aides close to the duke yesterday told the Telegraph they believed he would only step down from public duties “for a few months while we sort this mess out.”
But other palace insiders said instead the move showed he had been “mothballed” – placed in “early retirement”.
It comes as the Duke of York was ditched by charities after the disastrous BBC interview that saw him widelycriticised for not showing enough sympathy for the victims of Epstein.
And attention is now turning onto his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, as the fall out continues.
A source told The Daily Beast: “Andrew and Sarah will obviously be worried about how his resignation impacts their children’s future.”
However, despite his reputation suffering multiple blows, his daughters will continue supporting him, the publication was told.
Others involved in the fall from grace include his Private Secretary Amanda Thirsk, who was fired by the Queen over the TV interview which ended the Dukes frontline royal career.
Her Majesty is also expected to orderPrince Andrewand all his staff out of their Buckingham Palace offices.
Pressure from horrified family members has even forced Andrew, 59, to cancel a planned trip to Bahrain via private jet this weekend.
His laughing former wifeSarah Ferguson arrived at the Palace yesterday to support him 100 per cent, to the fury of staff.
NO SWEAT
In the BBC interview, the duke denied claims that he slept with Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, on three separate occasions, twice while she was underage.
And Prince Andrew denied Mrs Roberts’ claims he was “profusely sweating” while dancing with her at Tramp nightclub in 2001 – saying he had a condition that meant his physically couldn’t sweat during the time.
Andrew was infamously photographed with his arm around Ms Roberts at Ghislaine Maxwell’s home in London in 2001.
The Duke repeatedly said during his BBC interview that he had “no recollection” of the photo being taken – and appeared to suggest it could have been faked.
He was last pictured with Epstein in New York in 2010 after the hedge fund manager had been released from prison and was a registered sex offender.
Epstein was found hanged in his prison cell in August while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges.
Prince Andrews statement, on his parents 72nd wedding anniversary, said the Queen had given permission for him to bow out of royal duties.
He said he is willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agencys investigations into convicted sex offender Epstein, found dead in his jail cell in August.
It is not clear if his finances will change as he is supported by his mother the Queen and her help will never be disclosed.
There has also been anger over Prince Andrew’s links to billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein
