Something has really shifted over the past year when it comes to Prince Andrew. Andrew is still a credibly-accused human trafficker, rapist and pervert, but now that his mother (his biggest champion) has passed away, Andrew has been largely “contained” by King Charles. Sure, Charles makes a big show of “planning to evict” Andrew from Royal Lodge or threatening to cut off whatever allowance, but really, those moves are just for show. Some kabuki theater for the peasants. I would even go so far as to say that Andrew is a deflection for the Windsors’ larger issues: the Sussexes’ successes, the unpopularity of the monarchy in general, and the move towards republicanism across the Commonwealth. Instead of addressing those larger problems, Buckingham Palace says “but Andrew, don’t forget about Andrew, pay attention to what a train wreck he is!” It’s because Andrew is a manageable problem for them, and really, they’re totally fine with him. Speaking of:

King Charles has reportedly offered an ‘olive branch’ to his disgraced brother Prince Andrew by inviting him and the Duchess of York to Balmoral. The Duke is the first family member to join the King at the Highlands castle in a move royal insiders said showed relations between the two have improved.

Charles was reportedly joined by the Duke and his ex-wife Sarah, the Duchess of York – who is recovering from a breast cancer operation – over the weekend.

Andrew, 63, drove himself to the 50,000-acre estate on Royal Deeside before later being accompanied by Sarah, who flew to Aberdeen. The pair are staying at the seven-bedroom Craigowan Lodge on the estate – favoured by the late Queen.

A royal insider insisted it was ‘not a snub’ the pair were staying at the lodge instead of the main house, telling the Express: ‘The King and Andrew are now on much better terms and making him the first member of the family to join him is an olive branch.’

The apparent peace offering came as Prince Andrew appeared to have won his battle to remain in the seven-bedroom Royal Lodge in Windsor. The King had been attempting to persuade his brother to move into the vacant Frogmore Cottage – the former home of Prince Harry and Meghan. Charles wanted Andrew to leave the 30-room mansion, where he lives with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and downsize to the Sussexes’ old home.

But the King does not have the power to force out Andrew from the £30million Royal Lodge – with royal insiders claiming the plan to move the Duke out have now been shelved.

[From The Daily Mail]

It’s not an olive branch, just like it wasn’t an olive branch when Andrew came out for Easter and Christmas during Charles’s reign. Andrew is fully accepted by his family, welcomed to family events and still on all of the invite lists for shooting parties. None of them actually have a problem with Andrew’s criminal behavior, his financial schemes, or the human trafficking. The Windsors honestly don’t care, because they’re correctly assuming that most people don’t really give a f–k about Andrew either way.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Avalon Red.