PRINCE Andrew’s Twitter account appears to have been quietly deleted – as the embattled royal is blasted by furious Brits over a new doc that aired tonight.
Account @thedukeofyork no longer exists on the social media site, although it is believed to have been running within the past couple of days.
It comes as viewers hit out at the royal following ITV doc Ghislaine, Prince Andrew and the Paedophile, which detailed Andrew’s relationships with the late financier and Epstein’s madam.
The show, presented by Ranvir Singh, revealed Maxwell visited Andrew at Buckingham Palace four times in a single day and was free to come and go as she pleased.
Former Palace protection officer Paul Page said he “suspected” the pair may have had an “intimate relationship”.
Meanwhile, Maxwell’s brother Ian – who wept during his interview – said the pair were “good friends” – because “prince, pauper – it made no difference to her”.
“She took no s*** from anyone,” he said.
Those watching the show at home took to Twitter to slam Andrew tonight.
Viewers said the Duke of York felt “untouchable” – and must have believed Brits were “stupid”.
It comes amid a tumultuous few days for the royals as:
- It’s feared the Queen may never meet Lilibet if Harry and Meghan decide not to return for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
- Meanwhile, Charles and Harry have been sharing ‘good-natured’ video calls – and the Prince of Wales is desperate to meet Lilibet
- But an expert says Meghan is unlikely to take Charles up on his invitation to stay because it’ll be too ‘awkward’
- The Royal Family is bracing for the release of Harry’s memoir this year
- Meghan has complained to the BBC following controversial doc The Princes and the Press
Amid the furore, Andrew’s Twitter page has vanished from the internet.
He became the first member of the Royal Family to join the site under his own name back in 2013.
His first tweet – signed ‘AY’, or Andrew York – read: “Welcome to my Twitter account.”
At the time, it was announced that he’d be initialling all of his own tweets.
The model was later followed by other royals, including William and Kate, who use their initials to mark their own posts.
Twitter users have tonight commented on the disappearance of the page.
Journalist and actor Andy Gibson said: “It’s interesting that @TheDukeOfYork – Prince Andrew’s Twitter platform – has been taken down.”
Read our Royal Family live blog for the latest updates
Replying, poster Evelyn said: “The account was up the last time I looked – yesterday evening I think.
“Maybe it’s part of the going quietly into the good night.”
Just two days ago, nurse Caroline Metcalfe shared a screengrab of the Duke’s page – and noted he’d been stripped of his verified blue tick by the social media giant.
Cached sites suggest the page was in use on Sunday.
The news comes as Andrew’s exile from the Royal Family begins.
Just last week, he learned a civil sex abuse case will proceed in the US, despite his attempts to have it thrown out.
And 24 hours later, he was effectively banished from the Royal Family after the Queen met with William and Charles.
The future kings said they believed Andrew’s position is “grave” – and he was summoned to Windsor for an emotional summit with his mother, during which he was stripped of his patronages and titles.
ANDREW’S WORST WEEK
It was then reported that Duke, who will be fighting the case as a private citizen, fears he’ll be left destitute.
And he’s now facing calls to relinquish his dukedom – which cannot be done by the Queen – and give up his police protection, which costs the taxpayer an estimated £300,000 a year.
Tonight’s doc is likely to have capped off one of Andrew’s worst weeks yet.
Piling insult onto injury, The Celeb Report exclusively revealed he ordered flunkies to arrange his teddies and soft toys in specific positions on his bed every night.
If it wasn’t done to his liking, he’d “scream and shout”, it’s claimed.
Maxwell is facing the rest of her life behind bars after she was convicted of trafficking girls for Epstein to abuse.
The 60-year-old helped entice vulnerable teenagers to Epstein’s various properties for him to sexually abuse between 1994 and 2004.
Prosecutors described her as a “sophisticated predator”.
Epstein was found dead in prison in 2019. He was being held without bail on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges
Andrew denies any wrongdoing after he was accused of having sex with Virginia Giuffre when she was 17.