PRINCE Andrew is “finished” and will remain in the royal wilderness for the rest of his life, experts say.
It was sensationally revealed yesterday that the Duke of York has settled claims he raped and abused accuser Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 out of court.
The pay-out is not an admission of guilt.
He’s expected to pay out up to £12million, with suggestions his long-suffering mother will contribute to get him off the hook.
Andrew caved in after 72 hours of secret negotiations to avoid overshadowing the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.
It brings to an end a grubby saga that has rocked the Royal Family and scandalised furious Brits.
And while Andy’s pals say the nation will ultimately “forgive” him and allow him to return to public service, royal commentators say there’s no way back.
Here are five major blows the embattled duke has suffered on his worst week ever.
‘HE’S FINISHED’
Last month, a bombshell statement released by the Queen revealed that Andrew had been essentially banished from the family.
The tightly-written 42-word missive from Her Majesty already meant it was likely Andrew would fade from public life forever – even before the settlement.
He has also been sidelined by the rest of the family.
Charles and William were reportedly key in the judgement, with the Duke of Cambridge in particular helping his grandmother realise Andrew’s position was “grave”.
The men were “completely furious” after the Queen’s middle son “crossed a red line”, The Celeb Report exclusively reported.
Prince Harry’s biographer Angela Levin said the Queen has “put her foot down” with the son many previously claimed was her favourite.
The duke will never have an active role in public life again, Ms Levin told Sun Online.
“He’s finished,” she said.
“He will never be seen as a member of the Royal Family again. He just won’t be allowed to.
“Prince Charles and Prince William have made that very clear and the Queen has agreed.
“He’s not going to pick up any public engagements on behalf of the Royal Family.”
She said her “feeling” is that the Queen told him to “sort it out” ahead of the Jubilee.
“That’s it, he’s not been allowed to waffle,” she said.
NO RETURN TO HRH TITLE
Her Majesty has already banned Andrew from using the title “His Royal Highness”.
It would take a huge act of public goodwill for such a decision to be revoked.
But the announcement of the settlement yesterday is unlikely to exonerate the duke in the court of public opinion.
Ms Levin said: “Settling could have been the easiest option. He refused to say that he was guilty, but it does smell as if he was.
“I think people will interpret it as guilt.”
Meanwhile, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said it would be “premature” for Andrew to even consider getting his titles back.
“His reputation has been shattered and, while this settlement will have been a tremendous relief for the Palace, the event speaks for itself,” he said.
“Maybe in 20 years things will be different, but anything now would be premature.
“People would find it unacceptable.”
Andrew is, however, likely to retain his Duke of York title, despite public calls for it to be revoked.
That’s because the dukedom is a peerage. Under the law, it would take an act of parliament to remove the title.
AND NO PATRONAGES EITHER
As part of the Queen’s decision, Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages.
A royal source made clear those “will not return to The Duke of York”.
Such a statement means the judgement wasn’t a temporary move – and that there’s no way back.
The various roles will be distributed to other members of the Royal Family instead.
Andrew served in the Royal Navy for 22 years and has been forced to step down from roles including deputy colonel-in-chief of the Royal Lancers, royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers and colonel of the Grenadier Guards – which likely came as a particularly bitter blow.
He was also demoted to a private citizen, which was taken to mean he’d have to stump up for any settlement.
However, Buckingham Palace yesterday refused to say if Her Majesty had funded any part of the deal.
Andrew’s spokesman also declined to comment on exactly how it had been paid.
Not everyone has quite such a dim view on Andrew’s chances of a return to charitable work, however.
Colonel Rupert Wieloch, a friend of Andrew’s, says there may yet be a way back for the disgrace duke – and that Brits will “forgive” him.
Expert Adam Heliker also suggested Andrew may wish to take on “a few quiet roles” as he builds his public profile back up.
“Andrew envisages a way back,” he said.
“I think he will see this as a kind of way to give it a year and take on a few quiet patronages.”
JUBILEE BAN
Under normal circumstances, Andrew would be expected to appear at his mother’s side and take part in the Trooping the Colour spectacle at the Platinum Jubilee.
However, it’s now far more likely he’ll be banned from attending at all.
He will reportedly not be permitted to appear at the public celebrations, which will end with a four-day bank holiday weekend in June.
“He won’t be at the Platinum Jubilee,” Ms Levin said.
“He’s had it.
“The only good thing to come of this is that people aren’t going to hear the awful and personal things they would have done if he’d gone to court.”
She said she believes Her Majesty told Andrew: “You’ve got to sort it out. I don’t want it over my Jubilee.”
Mr Helliker said: “Everyone thought it would all drag on and daunt the proceedings of the Jubilee, which I don’t think anyone wanted.”
And Mr Fitzwilliams said if Andrew had been cross-examined, it would have been “enormously damaging” to the event.
“There would have been a lot of publicity about that,” he said.
“The civil case certainly would have been enormously damaging, so far as the Jubilee goes.
“The Queen can now celebrate with only Harry’s memoir to be concerned about, and that’s very different.”
The Times reports that under the terms of the settlement, Ms Giuffre will be banned from speaking publicly about her claims until after the festivities come to an end.
The agreement will limit the damage to the Royal Family during such an important year, it’s believed.
PUBLIC PERCEPTION
Experts say the settlement is an “admission of guilt” and Andrew had “no option” but to avoid a humiliating court battle.
While the duke has always strongly denied all the claims made against him, Mr Fitzwilliams said: “He claimed innocence, but he has settled and many would regard this as an admission of guilt.
“If he was innocent then why did he pay?
“The amount is confidential but nonetheless he did not admit to any of the accusations.
“It may therefore safely be assumed that at least this particular case is behind him.
“What is in front of him, however, is huge.”
He said the Palace will doubtless be “breathing a sigh of relief”, and that Andrew had “no option” but to settle out of court.
The Celeb Report’s star columnist Piers Morgan said settling reveals Andrew’s “supposed defiance to be a sham”.
“By paying a massive cheque to avoid a showdown in court, he’s confirmed himself to be a snivelling little coward whose denials and demands weren’t worth the paper they were written on,” he said.
