Prince Andrew’s plot to oust Queen’s aide who threatened daughters’ roles in Royal family THE downfall of the Queen’s top aide followed attempts to streamline the monarchy which would have pushed Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie down the Palace pecking order, according to royal insiders. As sources sought to distance Prince Charles from claims he had helped to force out Sir Christopher Geidt, it was claimed that the Queen’s former private secretary had been “adamant” Prince Andrew’s daughters would not have full-time roles in the Royal Family. According to reports, the Duke of York “colluded” with his brother to oust the monarch’s most senior courtier. Last night a well-placed royal source said: “Sir Christopher had a slimmed down vision for the monarchy. The area he really held the line on was on Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie having no future role. He was absolutely adamant about that and it caused a lot of tension within the household.” In December Andrew, 57, issued an extraordinary denial following reports of a rift between him and Charles over the status of his daughters. Dubbing the stories “completely made up” he said he had taken the rare step of issuing a statement in his own name “to terminate further speculation and innuendo”. Yesterday’s reports suggested Sir Christopher, a former Army intelligence officer, was “deeply disliked” by Andrew and the “feeling is mutual”. It has been suggested that Andrew’s “antipathy” stems from the role played by Sir Christopher in forcing him to step down as trade ambassador in 2011 over his friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Another source suggested that Andrew disliked the fact that Sir Christopher controlled his expenditure.