bitchy | Prince Andrew does more reputational damage to the monarchy than the Sussexes?

Last week, Prince Andrew was in the news again, although I’m not sure how much attention this story actually got in the UK or American media. In Prince Andrew’s infamous 2019 Newsnight interview, he claimed that the last time he saw Jeffrey Epstein, it was December 2010, when Andrew flew to New York to break off their friendship in person following Epstein’s conviction of sex crimes and subsequent house arrest. Well, new documents reveal that Andrew actually partied with Epstein WHILE Epstein was under house-arrest in Florida, in June 2010. Not only that, but Andrew didn’t actually break off the friendship (or whatever it was) – Andrew and Epstein were still in “regular contact” throughout February 2011.

Meanwhile, another royal biographer is taking a crack at the tragedy that is Prince Andrew. Biographer Andrew Lownie recently chatted with Clive Irving at the Daily Beast about Andrw, Epstein and King Charles. Some highlights:

Andrew & Charles’s war: Prince Andrew is locked in a “power and status game” with brother King Charles, and the battle over how long he stays at his home, Royal Lodge in Windsor, is just one component, according to the prince’s next biographer, Andrew Lownie. “The problem is there is a contract with the Crown Estate. Andrew can stay there on peppercorn rent in return for doing it up. Andrew is digging his heels in because he argues he needs a large house—it has 30 rooms—for when his grandchildren come to stay, and it’s part of a wider power and status game with Charles. Optics don’t look good, but that won’t worry Andrew. I don’t see him ever leaving.”

Andrew cannot make a comeback: “No, because of his temperament and the way he continues to behave he cannot make a comeback. He’ll be let out for family occasions, but he is by nature a hermit so he won’t be too worried.”

Lownie thinks Andrew did more damage to the monarchy than the Sussexes: He agrees that the seemingly tireless tabloid pursuit of Harry and Meghan has conveniently deflected attention from Andrew, and that in terms of reputational damage to the Windsors he is by far the biggest problem. Lownie said, “Andrew is the bigger problem as Harry will disappear, and there will be sympathy for him if and when he and Meghan divorce, but more and more embarrassing stories about Andrew will continue to appear.”

Andrew & Epstein: “Andrew has never done himself any favors when he has tried to explain his time around Epstein. His former private secretary, Alastair Watson, said that he had first met Epstein in the early 1990s, not as Andrew claimed in 1999. He claimed he cannot sweat, but I have plenty of testimony of him sweating at the time Giuffre claimed she was with him in London.”

What was Andrew & Epstein’s Relationship really about? “My research suggests that the Epstein story is more complicated and that Andrew’s closeness to Epstein was more to do with money than sex with young women—after all, he never lacked the opportunity for sex, many women regarded him as a good catch. Andrew, of course, is not the only person who was swimming in these waters. Scores of well-known international figures—politicians, financiers and celebrities were entertained by Epstein, and were on the infamous ‘Lolita’ flight.”

[From The Daily Beast]

“Andrew is the bigger problem as Harry will disappear, and there will be sympathy for him if and when he and Meghan divorce…” Dafaq?? IF AND WHEN? These people live in their own little world, I swear to God. While I think Andrew is a huge problem for the monarchy, let’s also be clear: what the institution did and is still doing to the Sussexes will haunt the monarchy forever. It was the inflection point. The Windsors also tied Prince Andrew to their despicable campaign against the Sussexes – it has been obvious for years now that whenever the Firm rages about the Sussexes, it’s because they’re hiding really awful sh-t about Andrew or other royals. And I’m sorry, I just can’t get over the completely bonkers argument that “Harry will disappear.”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.