The interview led to Prince suspension from duties by the Queen.
On Wednesday, after days of unrelenting pressure as a slew of companies cut ties with the prince, the Queen gave permission for Andrew to “step back from public duties for the foreseeable future”. He said he would be “willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required”.
Thirsk’s position in pushing for the interview is understood to have been at odds with Jason Stein, the aide who left just a fortnight after he was brought in to assist with managing the prince’s reputation.
Reports suggested Thirsk would take up a role as the chief executive of Pitch@Palace, where she has already served as a director since 2014.
Pitch@Palace did not respond to a request by the Guardian for comment.
RPO distanced itself from Andrew after its management met the royal’s office on Thursday afternoon. In a statement released on Friday, a spokesman said: “At a subsequent meeting of the RPO board, it was decided that the orchestra should part company with its patron, with immediate effect. The RPO would like to express its gratitude to His Royal Highness for his support of the orchestra over the past 15 years.”
It followed London Metropolitan University announcing that the prince had resigned “with immediate effect” as its patron. “The university’s board of governors will consult widely, in particular with our students, about whether and how we replace the duke with any senior honorary roles,” it said.
On Friday, the Queen was spotted horse riding with Prince Andrew in the grounds of Windsor in what one royal expert said was an apparent show of support to her second son.
Ingrid Seward, the editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, said: “He’s been through the wringer, he’s thoroughly humiliated, he’s had to step down, but that doesn’t mean his mother doesn’t care about him any more.
It’s probably giving a message that whatever he’s done, he’s still my son, he’s still a member of the royal family.”
Most popular:SEX
