Lady Carbisdale, a businesswoman who owns 19-bed Carbisdale Castle in Scotland, says she offered her estate as accommodation for Prince Andrew but has withdrawn the invite due to backlash
A self-styled aristocrat has taken back her invite to Prince Andrew after claiming she received “threats of violence”.
Lady Carbisdale, a barrister and businesswoman, has owned 19-bed Carbisdale Castle since 2022. She made a public statement on social media last week, offering her estate as accommodation for Andrew. Samantha Kane offered the castle in Sutherland, Scotland, as a location “more fit to receive a prince”, following reports of Andrew’s exile to a smaller royal Highland castle in the wake of Jeffrey Epstein-linked allegations.
However, after a “hostile” response from the public, Ms Kane has withdrawn her offer – but maintains that the venue “remains available to serve” the royal family “if and when needed”.
In a post on Facebook, Ms Kane said: “I wrote to his Majesty King Charles lll and Prince Andrew, first to provide King Charles with an update on the progress of the wonderful restoration we have undertaken here at Carbisdale Castle, which His Majesty was keenly following.
“In relation to offering the Castle to accommodate Prince Andrew and his family if it pleases His Majesty and assist members of his Royal family, I took the opportunity to share the public’s negative views that have been expressed following my offer of support.
“Many of these views were hostile towards me in response to offering my Castle to the Prince, some threatening violence and even criminal damage. In the circumstances I think the offer is not going to be workable, unless the Crown deems fit to use Carbisdale Castle, which of course, remains available to serve your Majesty or members of your family if and when needed.”
Prince Andrew announced on October 17 that he would be giving up his royal titles – days before the release of the memoir of his accuser, Virginia Guiffre. The prince vehemently denies the allegations, and settled out-of-court in 2022. The settlement did not include an admission of guilt.
In the statement delivered on October 17, he said: “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.
“I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life. With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.
“As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.” Ms Kane, the only person in the UK to have changed sex three times, is believed to have spent millions of pounds to bring Carbisdale, near Culrain, originally built for Mary Caroline, the Duchess of Sutherland in 1907, to its former glory.
