Prince Andrew will be ‘riled and upset’ as he is stopped from attending Falklands 40th anniversary
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Falkland veteran Prince Andrew will be ‘angry and upset’ not to be involved in Princess Anne’s visit to the islands to mark the 40th anniversary of the conflict, a royal expert has claimed today.
The Princess Royal will travel to the South Atlantic later this month with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, for a six-day visit to the British surveillance area.
Her visit comes 40 years after the islands were invaded and then liberated from Argentina during the 10-week Falklands War, which ended on June 14, 1982.
But while Princess Anne and her husband will be visiting on behalf of the royal family, it is clear that Prince Andrew will not be with them.
The Duke of York, 62, served with the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot during the conflict, carrying out multiple missions including anti-surface warfare, casualty evacuation and Exocet missile diversion.
But he has been banned from the frontline of royal duties since he faced sexual abuse allegations in the US by Jeffrey Epstein, trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre.
Prince Andrew, who agreed a £12m deal with Ms Giuffre earlier this year to settle her US lawsuit, has consistently denied any allegation.
However, according to a royal expert, Prince Andrew will be “very upset” not to participate in events to mark the 40th anniversary of the Falklands.
Author and journalist Phil Dampier, who has written about the royal family for over 35 years, told MailOnline today: “I believe he wanted to, but it was made clear to him that there was no way he could be involved as he is. no longer a working royal in public life.
The Princess Royal will travel to the South Atlantic later this month with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence (pictured here with Princess Anne), for a six-day visit to the British Overlook Territory.
But while Princess Anne and her husband will be visiting on behalf of the Royal Family, it’s clear Prince Andrew won’t be with them – at least not in an official capacity. Pictured: Prince Andrew with his mother The Queen in 2019
The 62-year-old Duke of York served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War. He flew on multiple missions, including anti-surface warfare, casualty evacuation, and Exocet missile diversion. pictured:
“Because he is now disgraced after the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, people are forgetting that Andrew returned from the South Atlantic as a hero.
He risked his life using flying helicopters as bait for Exocet missiles that caused massive damage to the British fleet.
“The Queen was worried about him and was so relieved when he got home safely.
“When he returned to Portsmouth with the famous rose between his teeth, his parents were there to greet him, as well as his sister Princess Anne. So it’s even more distressing that she’s going there.’
He added: ‘I’m sure she will feel sorry for Andrew, but the King and Prince of Wales have made it clear that there is no turning back for him, at least not in the near future.
Author and journalist Phil Dampier (pictured), who has written about the royal family for over 35 years, told MailOnline today: “I believe he wanted to, but it was made clear to him that there was no way he could be involved because he is no longer a working royal in public life.’
“Whether some sort of role at a charity or charity can be found at a later date, only time will tell. But missing Falkland events will really kick him out.”
Princess Anne’s visit is expected to be part of the annual 40th anniversary events calendar – which was officially marked by a memorial ceremony earlier this year.
Princess Anne and Sir Tim will visit the islands between November 17 and 22. A full schedule of events for the trip has not yet been released.
The ten-week conflict began on April 2, 1982, when Argentina’s military leader at the time, Leopoldo Galtieri, sent troops to invade the Falkland Islands, followed by South Georgia the next day.
The invasion followed years of disagreement between Britain and Argentina, who claim the islands are Argentine territory.
They have been a Crown Colony since 1841 and those living on the island are predominantly of British descent and prefer British sovereignty to this day.
After the invasion, the British government sent a naval task force to engage in the invasion of Argentina.
In a 74-day conflict, which neither country has formally declared war on, more than 900 people – two-thirds of Argentina’s forces – were killed and thousands more injured.
Prince Andrew, who served in the conflict with the Royal Navy, famously returned to a hero’s welcome when he returned to Portsmouth. When he stepped off HMS Invincible with a rose in his mouth, he was met by his mother, the Queen, his father, Prince Philip and his sister, Princess Anne.
Pictured: A Royal Navy Westland Sea King HC.4 of 825 Naval Air Squadron takes off after transporting J Company, 42 Commando, Royal Marines from Port San Carlos to Darwin, June 1982, during the Falklands conflict
It won’t be Princess Anne’s first visit to the islands. She visited the Falklands, along with South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, in 2016 to mark the 100th anniversary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition
The Princess Royal will travel to the South Atlantic later this month with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, for a six-day visit to the British surveillance area.
The conflict ended with the liberation of the islands by Britain – and later the fall of the ruling military government of Galtieri – with the government continuing to operate as a self-governing British Overseas Territory to this day.
Prince Andrew, who served in the conflict with the Royal Navy, famously returned to a hero’s welcome when he returned to Portsmouth.
When he stepped off HMS Invincible with a rose in his mouth, he was met by his mother, the Queen, his father, Prince Philip and his sister, Princess Anne.
It won’t be Princess Anne’s first visit to the islands.
She visited the Falklands, along with South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, in 2016 to mark the 100th anniversary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition.