Prince Andrew's Jeffrey Epstein link has disgraced duke 'petrified' to step foot on US soil: expert
2025-02-12
Category: entertainment

Prince Andrew is "petrified" of ever stepping foot in New York City again. British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard made the claim as the FBI is being urged to launch a new probe into his friend, American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. "Prince Andrew is petrified of even thinking of returning to New York," Chard claimed to Fox News Digital. "He is very much rooted to his home, Royal Lodge, and isn't moving any time soon." KING CHARLES HUMILIATED BY PRINCE ANDREW WITH NEW EPSTEIN CONNECTION: EXPERTS  "Gone are the comfy days of feeling self-assured and having&nbsp;yes people circling him," Chard explained. "The fresh scandals, accusations, public controversies and negative media surrounding Andrew have led to him feeling very alone. No one wants association with inappropriate Andrew." Chard insisted that the Duke of York, who was known to be the favorite son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, was "very much on his own."  "He’s ruminating and fearful that further legal scrutiny over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein will lead to a public, humiliating arrest," Chard claimed. "Prince Andrew is petrified of even thinking of returning to New York. He is very much rooted to his home, Royal Lodge, and isn't moving any time soon. Gone are the comfy days of feeling self-assured and having yes people circling him. The fresh scandals, accusations, public controversies and negative media surrounding Andrew have led to him feeling very alone. No one wants association with inappropriate Andrew."  Chard’s comments came after a source told The Sun that the 64-year-old is reportedly too "terrified" to ever set foot in the U.S. again, as the FBI is facing fresh calls to launch a probe into Epstein’s close friendships. The outlet noted that Andrew has only left the U.K. once in the last six years. "He is terrified if he goes to America, he could be arrested, face civil action or be subpoenaed," the insider told the outlet. WATCH: QUEEN ELIZABETH ‘REMAINED INCREDIBLY CLOSE’ TO PRINCE ANDREW ‘RIGHT UP UNTIL HER DEATH,’ ROYAL AUTHOR CLAIMS  "He used to be ‘Air Miles Andy,’ but he’ll never risk going to America again," the source claimed. "Since the whole thing blew up, he’s only been to Bahrain, where he has friends."  "There hasn’t been a single golf trip to Spain or holiday abroad," the source added. Andrew’s anxieties have reportedly worsened after an email, believed to be from the disgraced Duke of York, shows that his communication with Epstein lasted beyond 2010.  The BBC reported that the emails are published in court documents from the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority. They show that the email was sent in February 2011. The emails were read aloud in a London courtroom, the New York Post reported.  "Keep in close touch, and we'll play some more soon!!!!" said an email sent to Epstein from a "member of the British Royal Family," the BBC reported. It’s believed the message came from Andrew. The royal’s attorney didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital also reached out to Buckingham Palace. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER  "Smug Prince Andrew has brought everything upon himself," Chard claimed to Fox News Digital. "His lies have tripped him up and there&nbsp;is no escaping the public animosity towards him. He is guilty in the court of public opinion and has no choice but to keep his nose clean and head down. However, I'm sure he is on tenterhooks wondering what self-induced controversy will rear its head next."  "He originally said he would help the FBI although this was years ago," Chard pointed out. "There is&nbsp;so much hostility towards Prince Andrew, it would&nbsp;seem unwise to travel to New York… Many people also feel that Prince Andrew… should be held accountable by the monarchy." In his BBC Newsnight interview that aired in November 2019, Andrew said he hadn’t seen or spoken to Epstein after going to his home in New York in December 2010. Andrew described the meeting as a "wrong decision."  British royal expert Hilary Fordwich claimed that the royal family has been attempting to distance themselves from "Randy Andy" over the years.  "Andrew has been uninvited to royal events, such as Christmas at Sandringham," Fordwich claimed. "He is far too toxic, a constant worry. The newest revelation of his email sent to Epstein further… places doubt surrounding all his other dubious claims. It opens him up to more suspicion… He has every reason not to want to return to the U.S." Virginia Roberts Giuffre previously said that she had several sexual encounters with the prince at Epstein’s behest, starting when she was 17. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS  Giuffre claimed that after meeting Epstein as a teenager in Florida in 2000, he flew her around the world and pressured her into having sex with numerous older men, including the British prince.  Giuffre has said she had sex with Andrew three times, including once in London in 2001 at the home of Epstein’s girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Giuffre claimed that she was paid by Epstein for her sexual encounters. While Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, the royal family forced him to step down from his public duties and charity patronages in 2019 after giving a disastrous television interview.  During the sit-down, he defended his friendship with Epstein and failed to express sympathy for the girls and women who Epstein abused.  Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams believes Andrew won’t ever set foot in America again. He said not only could a visit result in legal woes from attorneys still seeking answers for Epstein’s victims, but it would only be a "further embarrassment" for the royal family. "The press coverage would be unrelenting," said Fitzwilliams. "… He might not be able to leave as quickly as he arrived!" CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP  New York criminal defense lawyer Ron Kuby previously told the Associated Press it’s unlikely Andrew will ever voluntarily agree to an interview. He also said the FBI doesn’t have the means to force him to.  "The likelihood of him participating is very, very small," Kuby said. "Why would he? The last time Prince Andrew spoke on the relevant topic he was yanked from public life and universally ridiculed."  In 2020, the FBI asked the UK Home Office to assist it in bringing Andrew in for questioning, the New York Post reported. According to the outlet, the investigation was put on hold in 2024 for reasons unknown. Fordwich noted that Andrew continues to fall from grace in his home country.  "The Prince Andrew school, the only school on the remote&nbsp;British overseas territory of St Helena, is dropping his name in favor of a more neutral name," said Fordwich. "Most important to King Charles III is the future of the royal family. "These constant, lurid revelations have ensured the king is hoping Andrew will lead a quiet life. He still wishes all these allegations would just go away. While the king still loves him as a brother, there is the family business – the monarchy. From that, Andrew is fired." WATCH: KING CHARLES SECRETLY PAYING PRINCE ANDREW'S RENT, AUTHOR CLAIMS  It is believed that Andrew first met Epstein in 1999. Andrew claimed he cut ties with Epstein shortly after the pair were photographed taking a stroll through Central Park.  Epstein was found dead behind bars in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and federal conspiracy charges. The cause of death was suicide. In 2022, a U.S. judge dismissed the sex abuse lawsuit against Andrew, who settled with Giuffre. The prince made a substantial donation to his accuser’s charity and declared he never meant to malign her character.  More recently, Charles has tried to persuade his brother to cut his expenses by leaving his sprawling royal estate and moving to the smaller Frogmore Cottage, which is located inside the security perimeter of Windsor Castle. But Andrew remains ensconced at Royal Lodge.  In November, The Sunday Times reported that Andrew, who was at risk of eviction after his allowance was cut, managed to raise the money he needed to continue staying at Royal Lodge. Charlotte Griffiths, the Mail on Sunday’s editor-at-large, reported that it was the monarch who was secretly paying for Andrew's rent. FORMER MODEL RECALLS JEFFREY EPSTEIN ABUSE AT PRIVATE ISLAND, SPEAKS OUT AFTER HIS DEATH: 'MY LIFE SPIRALED'  According to reports, the king promised his late mother that he would look after her favorite son after she died.  England's longest-reigning monarch died in 2022 at age 96. "Prince Andrew originally wanted a trial by jury," said Chard. "Virginia Guiffre also wanted to settle in court… Prince Andrew has not been convicted of anything, denies all charges against him, and&nbsp;has paid a multimillion pound out-of-court settlement, meaning his civil lawsuit is settled. He also stepped away from his public role and is no longer a working member of the royal family."  "The significant scandal has done enough damage to the monarchy," Chard shared. "Even Prince Andrew will want to protect the royal family from further reputational damage… His only way forward is to… foster a positive path free from contentious associations. This will save his dukedom."