THE PRINCE Charles would see “no return” in public life for Prince Andrew, fearing his legal battle with Virginia Roberts Giuffre would damage the monarchy.

The Duke of York, 61, is said to have crisis talks with lawyers by phone after joining the Queen at Balmoral, supported by his daughter Eugenie.

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Ms Giuffre’s lawsuit says she was “forced to have sex with Prince Andrew against her will” and lists offenses including “first degree rape”.

Experts say the case could boom for two years – potentially eclipsing the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee next year – and cost the Duke millions.

Last night Charles would have believed that even if the civil case against his brother fails, it still reminds of Andrew’s ties to disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein.

The Prince of Wales, 72, is said to be ‘furious’ at his brother as he tries to protect the monarchy from another scandal.

A source close to Charles told The Times: “The prince loves his brother and has the ability to sympathize with the slingshots and arrows his brother endures for whatever reason.

“His ability to support and resent those going through difficult times is well known.

“However, this will damage the reputation of the institution. He has long concluded that this is probably an intractable problem.

“It will likely further strengthen in the prince’s mind that a way back for the Duke is clearly not possible, as the specter of this accusation lifts its head with hideous regularity.”

‘LIMIT CONTROL’

Both Charles and Prince William are also said to be concerned about the way the case is being handled by Andrew’s legal team.

They would share growing frustration over the Duke’s tactic of silence since the lawsuit was filed in New York on Monday.

A royal insider told the Daily Mail: “The family is in an extraordinarily difficult and sensitive situation given the nature of the allegations.

“They are limited in what they can say publicly and now that the Duke of York is no longer an active royal they are in fact rather limited in the control they can exercise over the situation in private.”

The Duke of York withdrew from all of his 230 charitable sponsorships in 2019, with Buckingham Palace indicating he hoped to resume his public roles at some point.

After the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, it was claimed that Andrew was preparing for his return in February this year.

In May of this year, it was reported that nearly 50 organizations had quietly or publicly removed Andrew as a patron.

But Buckingham Palace still lists dozens of organizations he is believed to be the boss of.

His brother’s shocking comments come after reports that Andrew may also lose his HRH titles due to the lawsuit.

“ABUNDANT LIFESTYLE”

Legal experts have suggested Andrew could be sued for tens of millions if Ms Giuffre wins her civil lawsuit in the United States.

She accused the royal of “first degree rape” and has not quantified the amount of compensation she is asking for the “significant” emotional and psychological stress.

David Boies, his lawyer, told the Telegraph: “Both categories of damages will be substantial. [A person’s declared wealth] comes into consideration with respect to punitive damages.

A royal finance expert has explained Prince Andrew’s wealth is a mystery, which could be a problem for US officials when trying to reach a deal.

David McClure, author of The Queen’s True Worth, said: “Prince Andrew’s finances are shrouded in impenetrable pea soup.

“This is symbolized by the fact that no one knows how he was able to secure a home loan of some £ 13million to buy a luxury ski chalet in Verbier in 2014.

“He has an affluent lifestyle, but where does the money come from? He has no perceptible income.

MILLIONS IN DAMAGES

The Duke and Duchess of York are both being sued by the former owner of their luxury Swiss ski chalet, Isabelle de Rouvre, who claims to owe him £ 6.7million.

The couple put the property on the market for £ 17.3million after buying it for around £ 18million in 2014.

David Rowland, the financier who is said to co-own an offshore fund in the British Virgin Islands tax haven with the Duke, is said to have paid £ 40,000 to help pay off the Duchess of York’s debts in 2010.

Prince Andrew could be forced to pay up to £ 14-72million in damages, according to a leading London lawyer who has represented victims of sexual harassment linked to the #MeToo movement.

Mark Stephens, of London law firm Howard Kennedy, said: “It could, on appeal, be lowered to something like $ 30-50million (£ 21-36million), but as a first step, that would be a very large number indeed.

“Andrew could, of course, skip the process altogether and the judgment would be a default judgment. The United States cannot force him to pay damages. The UK only recognizes judgments from foreign hearings if they are challenged.

“The only thing the US court could do in this case is enforce the decision against its US assets, if it had any.

There is a wedge between his tutelage of the royal family and his reputation and love for his son. It must be torn.

David McCure

“I think that’s probably how it will play out, unless the Queen or the UK government decides to intervene. He is able to take shelter behind the walls of the palace.

David McClure added that if the Duke were to find himself in financial trouble, the Queen could take it upon herself to offer him help.

He said: “It would be very surprising if the Duke did not have his own private investments or offshore trusts, but I suspect the Queen is subsidizing some of his expenses.

“Judging from the fact that the Queen is known to fund the less well-off members of her family, it makes sense to assume that if he ran out of funds and had a big expense in terms of legal bills, she would help.

“She receives over £ 22million a year from the Duchy of Lancaster, she has no shortage of money.

“There is a wedge between his tutelage of the royal family and his reputation and love for his son. It must be torn.

‘NEW EVIDENCE’

Ms Giurffe’s legal team also claimed they were preparing to present new evidence that would help their case.

David Boies, told The Telegraph: “I think you’ll see additional evidence, for example, you’ve heard testimony about other girls who have seen Andrew with Virginia, and there will be additional testimony about it from the same woman, but some other women too.

It is understood that he is referring to Johanna Sjoberg, who is the only other woman to come forward publicly to accuse the Duke.

Ms Sjoberg accused the Duke of groping her by taking a Spitting Image puppet of himself and placing her hand on his chest in London in 2001.

She also claims that Epstein ordered her to “entertain” the prince and that in mid-1999, she and Ms Giuffre accompanied Epstein to visit Prince Andrew at Balmoral.

Ms Sjoberg, 41, has previously expressed her willingness to testify before US authorities about the alleged abuses.

Andrew fiercely denied any allegations, said he has no recollection of even meeting alleged victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre, and that he had no suspicion of any wrongdoing by Epstein during their friendship.

It is, however, under further scrutiny as Giuffre’s attorneys filed a lawsuit with a New York court, claiming she was “loaned for sex” and “coerced” into having sex with Andrew.

She also claimed the Duke knew she was 17 and had been ‘trafficked’ – claiming she had been abused by him three times in London, New York and on the island. of Epstein in the Caribbean.

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The Duke is currently squatting at Balmoral Castle for the summer with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and mother, the Queen.

Fergie’s presence should calm things down and she will be making her first visit to Balmoral in 25 years, with the Duchess being 100% behind Andrew.

The monarch and her son had dinner together last night just hours after receiving an American summons.

Andrew faces civil litigation with the 15-page lawsuit for the first time after allegedly abusing Ms Giuffre when she was 17 with Ghislaine Maxwell in London.

Maxwell and Epstein are said to have run a worldwide network of sex trafficking young girls and minors whom they lured in using their wealth and power before gifting them to their friends.

Her legal team claims she was a “scared and vulnerable child with no one to protect her” when she was allegedly abused by Andrew, saying “no one, whether the President or the Prince, is above the law. laws “.

It is believed that the Duke of York will not be able to invoke the special royal diplomatic immunity enjoyed by his mother, the Queen.

Members of the immediate royal family are considered immune – but Andrew would not be included in that bracket, especially after stepping down.

Ms Giuffre’s lawyers say they made several attempts to contact the Duke and his legal team, but were ignored.

According to his lawyer, the latest letter sent to Prince Andrew was sent last month and warned that legal action could be filed.

Espstein hanged himself in his prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking.

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