Here’s some news to make the Coronation even more of a celebration for King Charles — it can be revealed that Prince Andrew will NOT be writing a tell-all memoir after all, because he stands ‘four square’ behind the monarch.
There was speculation the Duke of York would offer an account of his life story in print, particularly after the incredible financial success of Prince Harry‘s bombshell memoir Spare and his straitened circumstances following the death of the Queen. Author Daphne Barak was tipped to be his ghostwriter.
However, I’m told that the idea is a non-runner. A source indicates: ‘There are no plans for a book and never have been. The Duke has had a non-existent profile since Newsnight precisely so as not to damage the institution . . . he would never do anything to deliberately damage the family.’
The disgraced Duke was previously said to believe that an autobiography might allow him to set the record straight in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
His last major bid to do so – the notorious BBC Newsnight interview in 2019 – backfired spectacularly, but the Duke might have had more control with a book.
It can be revealed that Prince Andrew (pictured in April) will NOT be writing a tell-all memoir after all
He will attend the King’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6, but will not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony afterwards, as that honour is strictly reserved for ‘working royals’
Overnight on Thursday fresh claims emerged from royal sources denying reports of a row between the King and his disgraced brother over what Andrew would wear to the coronation.
A friend of the Duke told the Telegraph there is a ‘warmth around the place and a proper rallying around the King, who in turn is showing some serious EQ [emotional intelligence] by ensuring the family is given the opportunity to pull together.’
They added: ‘I suspect some Palace staff are well behind the curve in their understanding of this private family unity. The Duke stands four square behind the King’.
There have also reportedly been concerns within royal circles about possible briefings against the Duke by Palace staff.
His friend said: ‘The family aren’t briefing against one another. If it’s palace officials going off-piste and providing hostile press briefings on who wears what and when, or who lives here or there, then they should think on.’
They added such actions ‘damage’ members of the royal family and there for the institution itself.
Prince Andrew stepped back from public life in 2019 amid the fall-out from his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein — and that disastrous Newsnight interview.
His military affiliations and charitable patronages were removed by the Queen in January 2022, and the following month a civil lawsuit filed by his accuser Virginia Giuffre was settled out of court, reportedly for £12million.
Andrew emphatically denied her claims that he had sexually assaulted her when she was 17.
In January 2023, The Mail on Sunday reported that the Duke of York was considering an attempt to overturn the multi-million-pound settlement he made with his accuser.
Prince Andrew (pictured with the then Prince of Wales in 2015) stepped back from public life in 2019 amid the fall-out from his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein — and that disastrous Newsnight interview
Pictured: Camilla, King Charles III, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew at Windsor Castle on April 9
There was speculation the Duke of York would offer an account of his life story in print, particularly after the incredible financial success of Prince Harry’s bombshell memoir Spare
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, (left) pictured with his accuser Virginia Giuffre (right)
The furore surrounding the case led to him being stripped of his honorary military titles, and any return to public life seems impossible.
Despite remaining a Garter Knight, Andrew was banned from the annual public procession in 2022. Instead, he joined other Garter Knights for the private part of the day.
However, Prince Andrew was reportedly left ‘furious’ after finding out that King Charles may ban him from wearing the lavish Knight of the Garter robes at the Coronation.
The King is reportedly deciding whether to let his brother wear the robes after Andrew stepped back from royal duties because of the scandal.
He was previously banned from wearing the traditional robes at Queen Elizabeth’s final appearance at the Garter Day procession in Windsor.
Harry secured a four-book deal worth £16million in advance; and is in line to receive many times that in royalties — experts suggest more than £30million in total
Prince Harry’s book, Spare, was released on January 10 and quickly became one of the fastest-selling non-fiction books ever, but the fallout from the book looks set to linger
The Duke then largely disappeared from view, although he was prominent at the funeral of the Queen in September.
He will attend the King’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6, but will not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony afterwards, as that honour is strictly reserved for ‘working royals’.
Instead, a life of service (of some yet-undefined sort) beckons, behind the scenes.
He hopes, though, to completely clear his name in relation to Miss Giuffre. It’s not clear whether this will involve legal action at some point.
Meanwhile, the King is said to be unwilling to continue to fund his brother’s protection teams at the 30-room Royal Lodge in Windsor, which apparently costs £3million per year.
It is possible that he will move into Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate, which was done up and then vacated by Prince Harry and Meghan.
But that possibility is complicated by the fact that he signed a 75-year lease on the Royal Lodge in 2003, in exchange for the £10million he spent renovating it.
A Netflix film about the making of the Newsnight interview, Scoop, is in production. Rufus Sewell plays Andrew and the role of interviewer Emily Maitlis has been taken by Gillian Anderson.
Prince Harry’s Spare is the fastest-selling memoir in publishing history, shifting 3.2 million copies globally in a week. Harry secured a four-book deal worth £16million in advance; and is in line to receive many times that in royalties — experts suggest more than £30million in total.
Prince Andrew was previously believed to be in talks with American authors to write an explosive tell-all autobiography
It had been suggested that Andrew was in discussions with US author and interviewer Daphne Barak (left), who has written biographies of Amy Winehouse and former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto
In his book, Harry claims members of the royal household regularly briefed the press, including for negative articles about Meghan.
Harry has been criticised for sharing private conversations in the book, and intimate details about his family members.
However, the prince claimed there are many other details he has chosen not to share because ‘I just don’t want the world to know’, adding his family might not ‘ever forgive’ him if he did so.
Harry has since challenged his family members to speak with him and apologise to Meghan, though it is not clear what for.
However, since the book’s release, America’s infatuation with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appears to have hit a rough patch.
READ MORE: King Charles ‘has not invited Sarah Ferguson to his coronation’ – meaning she will be forced to watch from home while her ex Andrew and daughters Eugenie and Beatrice take part
The controversial couple saw their popularity ratings plummet in just over a month and are reportedly receiving fewer invitations to glamorous events as A-listers fear they will become the focus of attention.
Prior to publication, Harry had a favourability rating of +38, according to a December 5 poll of 2,000 US voters. That plunged to -7 by January 16, pollsters Redfield & Wilton found – while Meghan Markle dropped to -13, compared to +23 on December 5.
A source previously claimed Prince Andrew also wanted to write a memoir.
The source said: ‘Andrew was the original spare and there’s plenty of material. Compared to Harry, he has a far greater depth of history to draw from.
‘Writing a book would give him the opportunity to fully explain his association with Jeffrey Epstein and the resulting fall-out.
‘But it would also be a fascinating insight into the inner workings of the Royals and their relationships.’
It has been suggested that Andrew was in discussions with US author and interviewer Daphne Barak, who has written biographies of Amy Winehouse and former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Two leading publishers are said to be interested in an autobiography of the Duke, who settled with his sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre in an out-of-court agreement last year.
A lucrative book deal would be useful for Andrew, who has told friends he received no inheritance from the Queen when she died.
A source said: ‘Andrew needs to find ways of making money and supporting himself.
‘It would be a huge wrench to leave Royal Lodge. But mainly he wants to set the record straight. If he doesn’t change the narrative, no one else will.’