Did Prince Andrew Really Lash Out At A Member Of His Staff?

Prince Andrew has featured prominently in news headlines in recent months in connection to the outstanding sexual assault lawsuit issued by Virginia Giuffre. In the suit, Giuffre claims that she was sexually trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein when she was a teenager and forced to engage in sexual activities with the prince multiple times, per CNN. Prince Andrew has maintained that he is innocent of Giuffre's accusations and has tried to dismiss the lawsuit on more than one occasion, albeit to no avail. As things currently stand, Andrew has decided to fight the case in court with a jury trial. The other option would be to settle with Giuffre, although there are no signs as of now that the prince intends to pursue this path.

As the Duke of York moves to officially defend himself in court, fellow members of the royal family have expressed their desire that he settle instead, according to The Sun. Insider sources reveal that Prince Charles and Prince William, in particular, have attempted to dissuade Andrew from moving forward with a trial due to "deep worries that this will get worse and worse." Amid the legal proceedings, a source has shed a light on how Prince Andrew is coping with the stress of the lawsuit — which is apparently not very well. The insider shared an incident that took place in October 2021 in which the prince allegedly lashed out at a member of his staff around the time he was served with Giuffre's suit.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

An insider told The Sun that in October 2021, Prince Andrew directed an outburst toward a gardener at his mother's Windsor estate when he noticed an issue with one of the saplings in the garden. He reportedly screamed, "What have you done?" The insider described the incident as "over the top" and defended the gardener in question, noting, "She has always been considered conscientious and hard-working." The insider added, "She had nothing to do with the damage and felt it was unfair." Of Prince Andrew, the insider stated, "You just don't talk to people like that no matter who you are." Apparently, there were multiple people who were privy to this scene.

This wasn't the first time that Prince Andrew had been called out for his temper. On January 22, Mirror reported that a former royal officer accused the prince of being a bully and requested that the Buckingham Palace investigate various incidents. The officer claimed that multiple members of staff filed complaints about Prince Andrew's temper and intimidation techniques. He specifically referred to Andrew as "overbearing" and "verbally abusive." There have also allegedly been instances of the prince making ridiculous demands. Charlotte Briggs, a former maid to the prince, recalled a time he forced her to climb four flights of stairs to close the curtains of a window he was sitting next to. Other reports stated that Prince Andrew resorts to calling people names when he's angry.