Prince Harry and Meghan Markle became estranged from the Royal Family when they stepped down

Andrew was accused of having sex with Giuffre when she was 17

Meghan Markle perceives unequal treatment compared to Prince Andrew, expressing surprise that he has not faced complete ostracization by the Royal Family despite the treatment she and Prince Harry have endured, according to a royal expert.

Despite tensions between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Royal Family, stemming from their decision to step down as senior royals four years ago, they maintain a strained relationship with the Firm.

However, Prince Andrew remains a senior member of the Royal Family, despite facing allegations of sexual assault from Virginia Giuffre when she was 17, claims which he vehemently denies.

Although Andrew has ceased official royal engagements following the scandal, he remains part of the Royal Family.

Royal author Tom Quinn has suggested Meghan wants Andrew to be “pushed out” after he “behaved appallingly”.

Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Tom said: “The fact that Prince Andrew has not been completely ostracised is another deep source of grievance for Meghan – she’s been pushed out so why not Andrew, who has behaved appallingly?

“Meghan has a point but what she doesn’t see is that for all his faults Andrew has at least done what the royal family told him to do: Andrew was told to say nothing after his disgrace and he continues to say nothing.”

Andrew was accused of having sex with Giuffre when she was 17, who claimed she was trafficked by Andrew’s friend and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and passed between his friends for sex. Andrew firmly denied the allegations.

In January 2022, after a New York judge ruled the Queen’s son would face trial over the accusations, Buckingham Palace released a statement announcing Andrew was to be stripped of his royal titles.

A month later, he settled the civil sexual assault case brought against him in the US by Ms Guiffre for a reported £12million. The settlement contained no admission of liability, guilt or wrongdoing on Prince Andrew’s part.

Meghan and Harry have become estranged from the Royal Family in recent years, with the couple making a number of bombshell allegations against The Firm. Over the years, Meghan has accused the Princess of Wales of making her cry just days before her wedding and said she had been “silenced” by the Royal Family.

Harry has also hit out at his brother Prince William and father King Charles. In his memoir, Spare, the Duke of Sussex opened up about an explosive row he had with his brother, during which the Prince of Wales allegedly called Meghan “difficult”, “rude” and “abrasive”.

Harry claims his brother then “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor”.