Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has turned down an invitation from the King to spend the summer at Balmoral, convinced he would be made to feel like an “outcast” at the Highland retreat, according to a friend of the former Duke of York.
The offer represented an opportunity for a reunion with family members, but Andrew has no interest in making the journey north.
A friend said: “Andrew feels he’s been abandoned. He feels like he is no longer part of the family.”
The friend added: “He was invited but has got no great desire to be at Balmoral as he has nothing to gain and would be treated as an outcast.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has turned down an invitation from the King to spend the summer at Balmoral, convinced he would be made to feel like an “outcast” at the Highland retreat, according to a friend of the former Duke of York.
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“What’s the point, he feels, of going all the way there for a much-needed holiday and being treated as an elephant in the room?”
Despite frequently staying just a mile from Andrew, the monarch has not seen his brother at all this year.
In November, the King removed Andrew’s Prince and Duke of York titles, and by February, Charles had forced him out of Royal Lodge in Windsor.
In February, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, though he has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
In November, the King removed Andrew’s Prince and Duke of York titles, and by February, Charles had forced him out of Royal Lodge in Windsor.
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He now lives at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, far removed from the royal life he once knew.
His last known interaction with the wider family is thought to have been at the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in September.
During last year’s Balmoral gathering, he spent roughly a fortnight at the estate but was a visibly solitary presence.
The isolation at Marsh Farm runs deep. His former wife Sarah Ferguson and their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie have all stayed away from his new home.
Of all his relatives, only his brother Prince Edward is believed to have visited him since he was removed from Windsor.
Meanwhile, the traditional royal summer gathering at Balmoral is set to go ahead without him.
As many as 30 members of the family are expected to join the King at the Scottish castle over the coming weeks.
King Charles has already arrived to begin his summer break and received a formal welcome at the castle today.
