Shamed former Prince Andrew is feared to be set to drag the memory of the late Queen Elizabeth II into the gutter, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The worries have erupted after newly released government papers reignited claims the monarch spent years shielding the now-disgraced royal from mounting concerns surrounding his conduct and personal associations with the likes of pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.'Nobody Wanted to Challenge Elizabeth Over Her Favorite Son'The 66-year-old ex-Duke of York – born Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – has long been one of the British monarchy's most controversial figures following his friendship with convicted sex offender Epstein and allegations made by the pervert's sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, who claimed Andrew had sex with her when she was a teen.
Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing.
Fresh attention on the Epstein scandal has now erupted after previously confidential government documents revealed Queen Elizabeth personally supported efforts to secure her son a prestigious trade envoy position after the end of his Royal Navy career.
The role, which Andrew formally took up in 2001, granted him extensive access to ministers, diplomats, billionaires, and international business leaders despite concerns inside government over his lack of experience and increasingly problematic reputation – and has now ignited suspicions he used the job to pass sensitive UK information to his long-standing pal Epstein.
One royal source told celebrity columnist Rob Shuter's Naughty But Nice Substack: "Andrew got away with an extraordinary amount because the Queen protected him.
"People inside the palace knew he was a problem, but nobody wanted to challenge Elizabeth over her favorite son."The 'Unease' Behind the Palace WallsAnother royal insider told us: "There is a real sense of unease building behind palace walls because many people fear the public has still only seen a fraction of what went on when it came to protecting Andrew over the years.
"According to those familiar with the institution at the time, concerns about his judgment, behavior, and the company he kept were circulating internally long before the Epstein scandal became an international embarrassment.
But there was an unspoken understanding that Andrew occupied a uniquely protected position because of how deeply loyal the Queen was to him personally." "People inside the royal household apparently felt there was very little appetite for confronting the issue head-on or questioning decisions connected to Andrew because nobody wanted to be viewed as challenging Elizabeth herself," the source continued.
"The belief among some former aides is that this created an environment where warning signs were minimized, awkward questions were pushed aside, and reputational risks were managed quietly rather than addressed openly.
"Critics inside and outside the palace now argue that this longstanding culture of deference effectively....
