The Prince of Wales declined to comment
when he was unexpectedly asked a question about his brother, the Duke of York. Prince Charles, 73, was seen for the first time
since the news broke that Prince Andrew, 61, has been stripped of his military titles and
royal patronages as he faces a US civil sexual assault case.
A reporter asked the heir to
the throne: “Can I ask your view on your brother’s position?”
But Charles wouldn’t be drawn on the question, as he met residents in
the northeast of Scotland involved in the clear-up operation after Storm
Arwen.
Between 500,000 and one million trees were uprooted on the Haddo Estate
in Aberdeenshire at the end of November as winds of up to 100mph hit the area. Efforts
to clear the once-dense woodlands of fallen trees ahead of replanting have only
just begun.
Charles is seen in public for the first time since news broke of
Andrew’s military roles being given up as well as the title HRH. The heir to
the throne chose not to respond to a question about his brother while on a walk-in Scotland.
Charles, who is known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, spoke to
landscape manager Oliver Deeming and head of visitor services Susanna Atkinson
as he walked the “Scots Mile” road towards the National Trust for
Scotland property at the centre of the estate, Haddo House.
The Prince and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, are believed to be spending time at their
Scottish residence, Birkhall, as they tend to do at the beginning of the year.
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Prince Charles walks along “Scots Mile” road on the Haddo estate
Charles’ appearance comes less than 24 hours after Buckingham Palace
announced that Prince Andrew’s military affiliations and royal patronages have
been returned to the Queen.
The move came after a judge in America threw out the Duke’s motion to
dismiss a civil sexual assault case against him, and ruled it can go to trial. Andrew denies all allegations.
Charles’ public visit also comes just hours after Downing Street was forced to apologize to the Queen over
two parties held at No10 the night before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April
2021, when restrictions were in place and the country was in a period of
mourning after the death of Prince Philip.
