THE Queen still wants to “mother” Prince Andrew despite banning him from royal life amid the Virginia Giuffre scandal, a royal expert has claimed.
Her Majesty is said to have battled between being “a mother and monarch” while reportedly bankrolling the disgraced Duke of York.
Despite stripping him of his royal title, all military honours and patronages after a face-to-face showdown in January, the 95-year-old desperately “wants to help him out”.
The matriarch is reportedly even footing some of the bill for her favourite child’s settlement with Virginia Guiffre, as royal commentators say she is “desperate” to put his legal woes behind them.
Andrew, who lives in the Queen Mother’s old home just three miles from Windsor Castle, is reportedly borrowing family cash to pay off his sex abuse accuser.
The Royal’s are keen to move on from the scandal which has dramatically hampered the run-up to the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.
But although the allegations have overshadowed Her Majesty’s remarkable 70 years on the throne, she remains his anchor.
Royal expert Angela Levin claims the Queen has acted upon her maternal instinct to try and protect the mummy’s boy.
She told Good Morning Britain: “I think it’s a scar but I don’t think it’s too damaging.
“I don’t think one attacks a woman of 95 who has led this country. It’s unfortunate that she has a son who hasn’t behaved at all.
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“She has this split thing between being a mother and monarch but sometimes she has to be a mother.
“She wants to help him out and get the whole thing over.
“They have to be quiet until after the Jubilee, but after that Andrew and Virginia can say whatever they like.”
Andrew – who slept with a dozen teddies and stuffed toys in his martial bed with Sarah Ferguson – has been shown unswerving loyalty from his mother during the explosive sex abuse saga.
She continued: “It’s very easy to look back and see what you could have done. I think she felt she thought it would work itself out.”
“He should have been stopped to go on Newsnight.”
The 95-year-old returned to duty yesterday despite her two eldest sons being mired in scandal.
Her first face-to-face engagement at Windsor Castle since December was again eclipsed as Charles became embroiled in a Saudi cash-for-honours probe.
Ms Levin added: “Yesterday my heart bled for her when she had her meeting and said I can’t walk.”
SHOCK SETTLEMENT
It was reported the 95-year-old Monarch – who paid Andrew’s legal fees – will help fund his settlement, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The embattled royal struck the megabucks deal with accuser Ms Giuffre just weeks before he was due to be quizzed on oath.
Ms Giuffre is said to be “very, very pleased” with the unprecedented settlement.
The sum remains secret but could reach £12million, say experts.
She will get personal compensation and there is no non-disclosure agreement which would stop her telling her side of the story.
In an extraordinary statement, the Duke of York told of his “regret” over his ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
And he vowed to “demonstrate” his remorse by “supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims”.
In exchange Ms Giuffre, who said Andrew raped her when she was 17, agreed to drop the case.
The Duke, who denied sweating while allegedly dancing with her in 2001, did not admit any crime or misconduct in the court papers.
