A friend of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has offered insight into why he reportedly turned down an invitation from King Charles to visit Balmoral.
Speaking anonymously to The Sun, the friend claimed Andrew feels abandoned and increasingly separated from the Royal Family.
“Andrew feels he’s been,” abandoned the source said. “He feels like he is no longer part of the family.”
The friend confirmed that Andrew had been invited to the royal estate but suggested he saw little reason to accept.
“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,” the source claimed.
According to the friend, Andrew questioned the point of traveling to Scotland for a holiday if his presence would leave others uncomfortable and he would be treated as “the elephant in the room.”
His strained position within the Royal Family follows years of controversy surrounding his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has also faced scrutiny over allegations connected to his former role as the United Kingdom’s special representative for international trade and investment, including claims that he shared official information with Epstein.
He has consistently denied wrongdoing in relation to the allegations against him.
