Many thought the Duke of York’s sex abuse lawsuit would mean the end of his public life.
After all, his mother the Queen stripped him of his military titles and royal patronages as the now-settled case brought shame on the Royal Family.
Prince Andrew – who denied all wrongdoing – settled the lawsuit out of court, paying his accuser Virginia Giuffre a multi-million settlement.
The damage to the palace was already done – which is why some in the family weren’t happy to see the duke play such a central role at Prince Philip’s memorial in March.
Andrew was accused of trying to claw his way back into public life, and now it appears he has succeeded.
As a member of the Order of the Garter – the UK’s oldest and most senior order of chivalry – the duke will attend the Garter Day service at Windsor Castle on Monday.
He will appear alongside other royals, as the Firm ‘supports him as he starts to rebuild his life’.
Palace sources confirmed to the Sunday Times that Andrew is hoping to take his life in a ‘different direction’ after stepping back from royal duties to fight his case.
Ms Giuffre, 38, claims she was trafficked by billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – an old friend of the duke’s.
She says she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17 and a minor under US law.
The duke vehemently denied all allegations – including after paying his settlement- and says he can’t even remember meeting his accuser.
Since May 2020, Prince Andrew said he would retire from royal duties, but it now looks like he will come back to the spotlight in some capacity.
A senior palace source told the Sunday Times: ‘Clearly at some point soon, thought will have to be given to how to support the duke as, away from the public gaze, he seeks to slowly rebuild his life in a different direction.
‘There is of course a real awareness and sensitivity to public feelings.
‘There is also recognition that the task of starting to support him as he begins to rebuild his life will be the first step on a long road and one that should not be played out every day in the glare of the public spotlight.’
A previous statement about the event at the Windsor Castle chapel had made no mention of the Duke of York.
It only said that ‘members of the Royal Family’ would attend, and that Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, would be installed as Royal Lady of the Order at the service.
Prince Andrew was absence from the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations last weekend after testing positive for Covid-19, the palace said.
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