Pouty prince.
Prince Andrew is reportedly “sulking” and “refusing” to walk the two corgis he inherited from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as he faces a scandal over his connections to an alleged Chinese spy.
The disgraced duke, 64, has resorted to delegating the dog duties to “flunkies,” according to The Sun, rather than exercise the pets himself on the grounds of Royal Lodge, the massive Windsor estate his brother King Charles III has tried — and thus far failed — to evict him from.
“He’s so down and demoralized he hasn’t even been able to get himself motivated to take the dogs for a walk,” an insider allegedly told The Sun.
“He used to do it regularly but recently he can’t even bring himself to go out.”
The Duke of York shares custody of the dogs with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, 65. Though divorced, the former couple live together and both inherited the late Queen’s pups — Muick and Sandy — upon her death in September 2022 at the age of 96.
The monarch’s affinity for corgis was world-renowned, with the breed eventually becoming synonymous with the late Queen.
Over the course of her life, she owned more than 30 corgis and dorgis (a cross between a Welsh corgi and a dachshund). Though in her final years she had only the two which now belong to Andrew and Sarah.
The Queen’s canine bequeathal to the Duke and Duchess of York was fitting, given that Andrew gave the corgis to his mother during the COVID lockdown to boost her spirits, and that Fergie was often seen joining Her Majesty for long walks on the grounds of Windsor Castle in the final years of her life.
In addition to the corgis, Andrew and Sarah also share custody of five other dogs — all of which the duke reportedly dispatches to his “flunkies” to be walked as “he is so fed up,” according to The Sun.
Allegedly dubbed the “Duke of Hazard” by palace staff, Andrew has faced a series of shocking scandals in recent years that have seen him relegated to the sidelines of royal life.
His most recent imbroglio centers on his connections to a man accused by the British government of being a Chinese spy.
According to a ruling from Britain’s High Court issued earlier this week, Andrew was “prepared to enter into business activities” with the alleged spy, Chinese businessman Yang Tenbo, also known as Chris Yang, who the court said gained an “unusual degree of trust” with the beleaguered prince.
The High Court’s decision, which stemmed from a national security investigation, also revealed that British intelligence agencies worried Yang sought to gain influence over a member of the royal family.
Yang, who has been banned from the UK, has denied he is a spy.
Prince Andrew has denied any impropriety on his part, stating that “nothing of a sensitive nature” was discussed with Yang and that their meetings occurred “through official channels.”
However, the duke’s denials have done nothing to assuage the royal family’s concern that he represents a clear and present danger to the monarchy.
At the urging of his ex-wife and royal courtiers, the prince bowed out of attending both King Charles’ pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace on Thursday and the royal family’s Christmas day celebration at the King’s country estate in Sandringham.
