Prince Andrew has been dubbed ‘powerless’ by one of his longtime aides after his bombshell email has surfaced.
The Radar Online, citing palace insiders, reported Prince Andrew has become the family's ‘built-in scapegoat’, the one people can safely criticize.
The royal insider said, “it takes attention away from everyone else."
The close confidant alleges: "It always seems to work out neatly – whenever there's an awkward headline about royal finances or the King's wealth, something about Andrew conveniently pops up.”
A longtime associate said: "Andrew knows he's being hung out to dry, but he's powerless to stop it. Every time he tries to rehabilitate himself, another damaging headline appears. He feels like a prisoner in his own house."
The former aide further said: "He's the embarrassment they can’t get rid of – but he's also useful. Public outrage directed at Andrew takes the pressure off the rest of the family. Compared to him, everyone else looks virtuous."
Meanwhile, the latest update has reportedly left Palace staff "exasperated and frustrated," with Andrew now facing calls to "go away" after reports the Duke of York told Jeffrey Epstein in an email “we are in this together” after a picture of the British royal with Virginia Giuffre was first published in 2011.