Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, as soon as second in line to the British throne, now finds himself ready that may solely be described as a royal mess. The discharge of Netflix’s newest drama sequence, Scoop, has introduced the disgraced prince again into the limelight, and let’s simply say it’s not the form of consideration he hoped for.
It’s arduous to think about that this is identical Prince Andrew who was as soon as hailed as a conflict hero for his service within the Falklands Warfare. The prince’s resolution to take a seat down for an interview with BBC Newsnight in November 2019 will doubtless go down in historical past as one of many greatest PR blunders of all time.
Within the interview, Andrew’s makes an attempt to distance himself from Epstein and tackle the sexual assault allegations made in opposition to him by Virginia Giuffre fell flat, to say the least. His claims of not having the ability to sweat resulting from a medical situation and his alibi of being at a Pizza Categorical in Woking on the evening of the alleged assault had been met with widespread ridicule and disbelief.
The fallout from the interview was swift because the prince was compelled to step again from his royal duties, and his associations with numerous charities and organizations had been swiftly severed. The Queen even canceled his sixtieth celebration and stripped him of any navy honors. It’s nearly as if the royal household realized, maybe a bit too late, that having a member embroiled in a scandal involving a convicted intercourse offender wasn’t precisely good for the model.
However the interview was simply the tip of the iceberg. In 2021, Virginia Giuffre, certainly one of Epstein’s accusers, filed a lawsuit in opposition to Prince Andrew, alleging that he had sexually assaulted her when she was simply 17 years previous. The prince vehemently denied the allegations, however the injury was completed. The scandal had reached a boiling level, and the royal household was left scrambling to include the fallout.
Ultimately, Andrew settled the lawsuit out of court docket, reportedly paying Giuffre a whopping £12 million. It was a staggering sum, and a transparent indication of simply how determined the prince was to make the entire mess go away. However even with the settlement, Andrew’s popularity was in tatters, and his days as a working royal had been numbered.
So, what does life appear to be for Prince Andrew now?
In line with royal commentators, the person who was as soon as referred to as “Randy Andy” and “Air Miles Andy” had hoped to make a return to public life, however these goals have been dashed. Lately, the prince has been protecting a low profile, not often making public appearances, and spending most of his time at his residence, Royal Lodge, in Windsor Nice Park.
It’s a far cry from his jet-setting days, rubbing elbows with the wealthy and well-known, and having fun with the perks of being a royal. The prince’s fall from grace was maybe most evident on the King’s coronation final 12 months, the place he was conspicuously absent. Nonetheless, Andrew did make a uncommon look on the Easter Sunday church service this 12 months, alongside his former spouse, Sarah Ferguson. It was a uncommon public look for the disgraced duke, and it prompted a flurry of media protection and commentary. As for the longer term, it’s arduous to say what lies forward for Prince Andrew.
The discharge of Scoop is unlikely to do the prince any favors. The movie, which stars Rufus Sewell as Andrew, guarantees to supply a behind-the-scenes have a look at how the notorious interview got here to be. It’s a narrative that has all of the makings of a gripping drama – a fallen prince, a disgraced financier, and a scandal that rocked the royal household. One can solely think about the prince’s response to seeing his worst second immortalized on display. Maybe he’ll be reaching for the distant and trying to find one thing, something, else to look at. Could I recommend The Crown?
However maybe there’s a lesson to be discovered from Andrew’s story. Possibly it’s concerning the risks of entitlement and the significance of accountability. Or perhaps it’s only a reminder that, irrespective of who you might be or the place you come from, you need to most likely suppose twice earlier than agreeing to an interview with Emily Maitlis.
One factor’s for positive – he received’t be invited to any Pizza Categorical grand openings anytime quickly.