THE King will never allow brother Prince Andrew to return to royal duties after aides declared that Charles “had to take the trash out”.
Courtiers revealed he took the decision to cast out Andrew permanently in talks held before he came to the throne.
Last week that ruling was underlined by the shamed Duke of York being named in dozens of legal documents released relating to his late paedophile pal Jeffrey Epstein.
One courtier said: “Charles found it very difficult. It was the hardest decision, as it’s his brother and he cares for him.
“But he knew it was the right thing to do. Someone had to take out the trash.”
Meanwhile, it has emerged that concerned aides deliberately kept the Duke of York apart from the King during the recent Christmas break at Sandringham amid fears he would beg for help over the Epstein files.
Andrew was described by one aide as constantly “lurking” and “ready to pounce” so he could corner his “generous” and “kind” brother.
But instead he never sat next to the King or was allowed one-on-one time.
The Sun on Sunday understands the King remains “resolute” that there is no way back for his brother.
The Duke of York, 63, is currently holed up at Windsor’s Royal Lodge after lurid allegations of an “underage orgy” at tycoon Epstein’s private “paedophile island” were revealed in US court files.
Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, but the shock claims heaped further pressure on the Royal Family to act — and sparked calls for The Met to launch their own investigation.
The force has so far rejected appeals, including one from Labour leaderSir Keir Starmer, to reopen an investigation into disputed accusations that the Duke sexually abused 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre in London.
The scandal-hit Prince stunned royal watchers when he appeared on the royals’ traditional Sandringham Christmas Day walk to church despite knowing the files were to be unsealed just days later.
Andrew is still clinging on to his 75-year lease at the 31-room Royal Lodge despite plans for him to be evicted. His armed security has also been axed amid his disgrace.
He has been angling for a public return, complete with the taxpayer-funded armed guards, and aides feared that “generous and sympathetic” King Charles could be hoodwinked by his brother over the holidays.
The Yorks stayed at Wood Farm Cottage on the Sandringham estate.
But one source said: “Andy was always lurking and ready to pounce so the King was kept away from his brother.
“He is a generous man and not nasty but he had to be kept apart because he has sympathy for his brother’s situation.
“There were deliberately no informal one-to-ones and they didn’t even sit next to each other at meals.”
The Sun on Sunday understands that the royal plan remains for Andrew and Fergie to be evicted from Royal Lodge. A source said: “Nothing has changed.”
On Friday Andrew was supported there by eldest daughter Princess Beatrice, 35.
The King remained hundreds of miles away, and this weekend left Balmoral in Scotland for Sandringham in Norfolk.
Andrew has been ordered to stay out of sight over the new allegations linking him with financier Epstein, who hanged himself in a jail cell while awaiting trial.
So royal watchers were stunned the King allowed him and Sarah Ferguson to join the family — including William, Kate and their three children — on the Christmas Day public walk to church.
Yet sources close to the decision deny it was a symbolic show of support for either Andrew or his ex-wife, invited for the first for more than 30 years.
Andrew paid accuser Virginia Giuffre millions to settle out of court a case she brought against him.
And two Christmases ago Charles, with support from Prince William, was convinced Andrew had no place as a working royal.
Just days into January 2022, Andrew was stripped of his royal roles and titles by the late Queen, after William and Charles teamed up.
An insider said: “Charles found it very hard as it’s his brother and he cares for him. But he knew it was the right thing to do.”
A source added: “William is also steadfast in his determination that there is no way back for Prince Andrew.”
Despite his shame, Andrew was permitted to wear military uniform during a vigil at his mother’s coffin but ordered to don a suit for the funeral.
He did wear his Order of the Garter robes for the King’s Coronation in May, sparking fears he was creeping back into royal and public life.
The Sun revealed in November that he even slipped into Windsor Castle to attend the swearing in of the new Dean of Windsor — with his name kept off the Court Circular.
Andrew has not commented after his name appeared 69 times in files unsealed by a US court.
They concern Ms Giuffre’s defamation case against Ghislaine Maxwell, a former pal of both Epstein and Andrew — and now a convicted sex trafficker.
Claims in the documents include that Andrew was at the “underage orgy” and groped a woman’s breast while she “sat in his lap like Santa”.
The files released in New York say an underage girl was instructed to give the prince “whatever he demanded” while at Epstein’s private resort on Little St James — dubbed “paedophile island”.
The Met Police said in a statement: “We are aware of the release of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein.
“As with any matter, should new and relevant information be brought to our attention we will assess it. No investigation has been launched.”
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
