Smiling Charles brushes off question about Andrew hours after he was stripped of titles
14 January 2022, 16:13 | Updated: 14 January 2022, 18:34
Charles ignores question about Andrew during Scotland visit
Prince Charles brushed aside a question about his brother Andrew today hours after claims surfaced that Charles was instrumental in stripping him of his HRH and military titles.
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The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland, was asked about Andrew while visiting the Haddo Country Park, Ellon, in Aberdeenshire.
He was asked by a news correspondent: "Can I ask your view on your brother's position?"
Charles did not answer, instead speaking to individuals impacted by the devastation caused by Storm Arwen in late November.
On Wednesday, not long after the court verdict in New York opened up a trial for Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Prince Andrew was stripped of all his military titles and Royal patronages, and use of the HRH.
He was in the north east of Scotland less than 24 hours after his younger brother was stripped of his honorary military titles and gave up his HRH style.
It was reported today that Prince Charles and Prince William teamed up to advise the Queen that Andrew's role in the royal family had become untenable.
On Thursday evening, Buckingham Palace announced the Duke of York's military affiliations and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen.
The move came after a judge in America threw out Andrew's motion to dismiss a civil sexual assault case against him, and ruled it can go to trial.
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It is not known if Charles made any mention of his brother as he met people involved in the clear-up operation after Storm Arwen.
Between 500,000 and one million trees were uprooted on the Haddo Estate in Aberdeenshire at the end of November as winds of up to 100mph hit the area.
Efforts to clear the once-dense woodlands of fallen trees ahead of replanting have only just begun.
Charles spoke to landscape manager Oliver Deeming and head of visitor services Susanna Atkinson as he walked the "Scots Mile" road towards the National Trust for Scotland property at the centre of the estate, Haddo House.
At the house, the prince met representatives from Aberdeenshire Council, the police and power provider SSEN to hear about the impact of Storm Arwen and the state of recovery efforts.
The country park is currently closed to visitors for safety reasons due to the storm damage.
A local resident said Charles's visit was the first day for some time that the sound of chainsaws was not ringing out around the area.
The visit also took place after the Prime Minister's former director of communications issued an apology over a No 10 party held the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.
James Slack, who until last year was Boris Johnson's director of communication, apologised on Friday morning for the "anger and hurt" his leaving party in April 2021 had caused.
The Telegraph had reported that advisers and civil servants gathered after work for two separate events on April 16 2021, as the country was in a period of mourning after the death of Prince Philip.
