Prince Andrew has welcomed in the New Year by following a strict new diet, with some staff saying that it has put him in a “foul mood”.
The news comes after it was previously revealed by The Sun that King Charles was refusing to pay his £32,000-a-year bill for an Indian healer.
Earlier this month, court papers in the US alleged that Andrew took part in an underage orgy and that he appeared in sex tapes – which the Duke of York has repeatedly denied.
Since his name appeared in the newly-released Jeffrey Epstein documents, Andrew was reportedly hiding away in his 31-room mansion, Royal Lodge.
Insiders say the Duke of York has been a foul mood the last few weeks – but that it has nothing to do with the release of the court documents.
A source told The Sun: “Andrew has been in a terrible moood and more grumpy than usual.
“But it has nothing to do with the unsealed court files. It’s because he is on a special diet. He hates it and it makes him irritable.”
The Indian healer – which the King is reportedly refusing to pay – is a male yogi that is said to treat the Duke using massages, chanting and holistic therapy.
Despite having since made zero public appearances since the unsealed files were released, Andrew was reportedly spotted driving his Land Rover Defender to Windsor Castle on Saturday.
At around 1pm, he returned to Royal Lodge where he has decided to “lock himself away in a room”.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Andrew was “devastated” over the release of the new Epstein files.
Speaking at the time, the source said: “He doesn’t have the emotional bandwidth to deal with this. He has locked himself away in a room and has no idea how to respond. He’s devastated.”
King Charles is said to have tried to distance himself from his younger brother since the release of the new previously-unsealed files.
The monarch is also said to want to move Andrew out of Royal Lodge – his home since 2002 – but his does not expire until 2078.
Papers in New York have also sparked more calls for the Duke fo York to be stripped of his title and to be moved out of Royal Lodge.
