Exclusive: Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have joined King Charles for his summer break at Balmoral, but as the storm around the Duke of York continues, royal expert Jennie Bond explains how he will likely be kept at an arm’s length
King Charles has kicked off his annual summer holiday in Balmoral, and thanks to a tradition enforced by the late Queen, many royal family members will join him.
However, many royal watchers were surprised this week when Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson travelled to the Aberdeenshire estate for the annual getaway.
While members of the Firm travel to the Scottish Highlands for the family holiday each August, Andrew and Fergie are likely to be kept at an arm’s length from the rest of the royal family, according to expert Jennie Bond. It comes after Meghan Markle sends telling ‘message’ to royals with bold move in Netflix show.
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The Yorks’ invitation to Balmoral has come in the wake of humiliating claims about the pair in an explosive new biography, which called out their unusual relationship, alleged financial disasters and rampant affairs.
The Duke and Duchess of York are believed to be staying at the seven-bedroom Craigowan Lodge, which was a favourite place to stay of the late Queen’s. And while Andrew’s inclusion on the holiday might be a surprise to some, it isn’t to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond.
She told the Mirror: “The summer break at Balmoral is very much a private time for the Royal Family. There’s no big walk to church – as at Christmas at Sandringham – there’s no Easter service as at Windsor each year, so members of the family can come and go pretty much unnoticed.
“Charles is not an unkind man, and nothing is ever going to change the fact that Andrew is his brother. He’s very fond of his nieces, Beatrice and Eugenie, and he wouldn’t want to deprive them of special family time with their parents.
Jennie continued: “So Craigowan Lodge is ideal for the whole York family to be together on the Balmoral estate, but not under the same roof as the King and Queen. It’s well known, anyway, that Charles and Camilla much prefer to be at Birkhall rather than in the castle. So, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be staying where.
“With several properties on the estate, it’s a great way for the extended family to be together for walks, picnics, and dinners perhaps – but also to have time apart. And that, as many people will recognise, is the ideal recipe for a relaxed holiday with relatives.”
In years past, the late Queen would spend weeks on end at her beloved Balmoral, with a host of royal family members coming and going as they spent valuable family time together before resuming their royal duties in September.
Jennie says many of the visits to the Scottish residence are carefully coordinated to ensure there are no awkward encounters, and she believes this will be the case when it comes to Andrew and his nephew Prince William, whose relationship has been described as “incredibly strained”.
She explained: “The visits by various members of the family are carefully coordinated: for example, when the Duchess of York was invited there in the past, it was deliberately timed to avoid her running into Prince Philip . Similarly, I rather expect that Andrew’s stay will not coincide with William and Catherine’s.”
Andrew’s relationship with his older brother Charles has also been strained in recent years, as the Duke and Fergie have continuously refused to vacate the Royal Lodge, despite alleged pleas and insistence from the King.
It comes after several scandals have plagued Andrew in recent years, with a new book called Entitled by Andrew Lownie depicting him as sex obsessed, a “useful idiot” and easy prey for Jeffrey Epstein.
Jennie added: “I very much doubt that the King has read Andrew Lownie’s book about the Duke, but he will have been made aware of its content.
“You would imagine that the Balmoral holiday would give the two brothers the chance to sit down and talk about the damage all the allegations against the Duke have done.
“But, years of reporting on the Royal Family have taught me that they are sometimes quite strange in their dealings with one another. And it may be that they will just politely get on with enjoying the traditional break they have had as brothers for so many decades, and avoid the elephant in the room.”