Prince Andrew will be ‘banished from Queen’s birthday parade this year’

Prince Andrew will reportedly be replaced at Trooping the Colour this year despite fighting to “serve his country” again.

The Queen’s son has been described by royal sources as “toxic” and military officials want him “faded out” from his honorary jobs over his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, it is claimed.

Andrew is yet to be stripped of being colonel of the Grenadier Guards but Afghanistan veteran, Major General Roland Walker will attend the Queen’s 95th birthday in his traditional place, The Sunday Times reports.

Coronavirus measures forced last year’s Trooping the Colour to be a much more low key affair, meaning the upcoming June 12 celebration will be Prince Andrew’s first notable absence since his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview in late 2019.

After he admitted that “the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein have become a major disruption to my family’s work”, Andrew stepped back from public life “for the foreseeable future”.

Andrew’s ties to various organisations have been cut and he has stepped back from most of his remaining charities and patronages but sources close to the prince say he intends to return to public duties and “serve his country” again.

His removal from his post at the Trooping the Colour shows neither the Queen or wider family necessarily share his determination just yet.

A senior royal aide told The Sunday Times: “While the hurdles around the Epstein case are still hanging over him, it will be difficult for him to represent the family again in any capacity as his presence would overshadow the work of the monarchy.

“The Duke is focusing on doing what needs to be done to cause less distraction and that is still ongoing.”

A senior royal source said: “It’s a very difficult one for the Grenadiers and for the Queen. He was an assiduous colonel but it has all been overshadowed by the other stuff.”

It is unclear whether Andrew will appear in any capacity alongside his family on the palace balcony for the post-parade fly-past.

Andrew has hired a “working group” in a bid to help clear his name and restore his image but it is understood FBI prosecutors on the Epstein case, want to speak to him.

Andrew has denied having sex with one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims the prince slept with her three times when she was 17.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment.

Earlier this month, The Queen’s birthday message to Andrew was criticised on Twitter by royal fans.

Prince Andrew turned 61 on February 19 and the Royal Family Twitter account shared a tweet marking the birth of her son.

The account usually marks the birthday of senior royals with a sweet message, but several experts said the honour may not be bestowed upon Andrew in 2021 due to his controversial former friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The Palace shared a throwback picture of Her Majesty and Prince Andrew, alongside the Tweet: “#OnThisDay in 1960 The Queen was safely delivered of a son, the first child born to a reigning Monarch since 1857.”

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One Twitter user said: “Wow, this caption.. Wrong move! No need for this.”

Another said: “You must not wish him a happy birthday on social media! Please delete!”

A third added: “Do we really need to be reminded about Prince Andrew? He is no longer a working royal so let him stay out of sight and mind.”