While Andrew has largely disappeared from public life since legal settlements and the release of court documents detailed his links to Epstein, sources said he is now focused on using his princess daughters Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 36, to keep the House of York branch visible and to lay the groundwork for his own partial rehabilitation.
One long‑time associate claimed: “Andrew speaks about Beatrice and Eugenie as if they are his frontline troops in his battle to be welcomed back into the royal fold, as he sees them as royal daughters by blood who deserve to be treated with respect, not quietly shuffled out of sight or downgraded to the edges of the family.”
The source claimed Andrew has become fixated on keeping his daughters on the public stage for his own ends.
They said: “Andrew sees Beatrice and Eugenie as carrying the banner for him – in his book, as long as they are still visible and active in royal circles, the York name stays present, and that, in his view, keeps the door slightly open for him to inch back toward some kind of role in royal life one day.”
Despite denying any wrongdoing and disputing the accusations that stem from his friendship with Epstein, Andrew has seen his official residence and remaining royal roles slip away.
But friends said he feels the penalties have gone far beyond what was necessary. One insider claimed: “Andrew is convinced the sanctions against him have gone further than anything imposed on others who have faced serious allegations, and that perceived injustice is what fuels him now.
“In his eyes, Beatrice and Eugenie are entirely innocent of any wrongdoing, and he is determined that they should not be made to carry the burden or consequences of his actions.”
Part of that effort has involved encouraging Beatrice and Eugenie to be as prominent as possible at high‑profile family events.
Ahead of recent society weddings, Andrew is said to have urged his daughters to ensure they were photographed arriving and leaving, rather than ducking the cameras.
A source familiar with one such exchange said: “He urged them to walk in as though they belonged there, to keep their chins up and make sure the cameras saw them. He didn’t want them melting into the background or behaving as if they had something to be ashamed of.”
Those close to the sisters say they largely share their father’s view they have done nothing wrong by lending their names to commercial ventures – but do not feel comfortable backing their shamed dad to King Charles or campaigning for some sort of royal comeback on his behalf, as they fear it would put their own positions in the royal family hierarchy at risk.
Yet Andrew is said to remain convinced that a sustained, respectable presence by Beatrice and Eugenie in the royal orbit could help him one day regain a measure of status.
A source said: “In Andrew’s mind, if Beatrice and Eugenie stay visible and involved, it gradually softens how people see him as well.
“He isn’t plotting some grand comeback to full official duties, but he does fantasize about reaching a point where he’s no longer treated as a complete outcast.”