Reputation experts say Prince Andrew's public image 'damaged beyond repair' after latest court ruling

Royal experts believe that Prince Andrew has lost all chances of repairing his reputation now that he is going to trial in the sex abuse case filed against him.

Experts in reputation management told Mail Online that the case has done irreparable damage to the reputation of the British royal family as well, and it is unlikely that they will ever allow the royal to rejoin his public duties.

Simon Wadsworth, the managing partner at reputation management company Igniyte, said that regardless of the final judgement of the trial, any attempt to redeem Andrew's reputation would only worsen the situation. Wadsworth explained, "This has damaged the rest of the Royal Family by association. It's difficult for them to control the narrative, so hard for them to influence public opinion. The option of keeping him in a low profile looks to be increasingly difficult when this goes to a hearing."

Wadsworth noted that Andrew's attitude towards his accuser Virginia Giuffre has given the impression that he is not "empathetic" and believes himself to be "above the law." If he had co-operated with the investigation even if he is innocent, it would have helped his reputation.

Alex McCready, Head of Reputation & Privacy at Vardags, also said, "Whatever happens, Prince Andrew's reputation has suffered terrible damage from the allegations in this lawsuit and from his former friendship with Epstein and Maxwell - two convicted sex offenders."

Reputation specialist Amber Melville-Brown, a partner at international law firm Withers, also expressed similar sentiments about Andrew's return to public life. She said, "While Prince Andrew has not been tried nor his evidence yet tested in any court, in the court of public opinion, his reputational ship was already under fire by his association with Epstein, torpedoed on Maxwell's conviction, and all but sunk by this latest loss."

However, Melville-Brown is confident that the British monarchy would "eventually overcome" the damage caused by Andrew.

"Prince Andrew's reputation has likely been damaged beyond repair. The accusations levelled at him personally also tarnish the monarchy by association – but not irretrievably as in his case. The monarchy is not just a family, it is an institution. As the Queen celebrates an impressive 75 years on the throne, the monarchy has survived for an impressive thousand years," she explained.

Melville-Brown added that the monarchy is "too robust" to fail as a result of the actions of one individual member.