Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - you have blood on your hands

What 'rape'? What proof?

It never fails to astound and disgust me how many people will fall over themselves to blame victims and fawn over rich, powerful men. It’s just a big old coincidence that he was Epstein’s good friend, eh?! The same way Trump was. The same way Charles was with Jimmy Saville. They’re all in on it together as far as I can see. When you have immense wealth and power you can do whatever the hell you want to whoever you want and people will go to great lengths to cover it up, pretend it doesn’t happen, look the other way….

Though I also think the Royal Family is totally anachronistic in this day and age and cannot see the point of it, or why anyone loves them so much.

'Allegations' is the word, that's all they were, she chose the make these 'allegations' to the most prominent person. In a court of law, rather than public opinion, one is innocent until proven guilty. It seems that the law is expected to work differently for certain types of allegations, equating an unsubstantiated allegation with proof.

I couldn't have put it better myself, Tomatotater ...

It's not the first time Charles "hasn't understood" either. People should be examining and questioning this indecently over privileged, and more to the point, untouchable institution.

That's their job- to fall on their swords for their overlords. You have to wonder what they get out of it.

Virginia had consensual sex with him and made a huge fuss about it many years later. I am sorry she has died, but she made her own choices

I do not think so
17 is legal age
You have no idea what happened
You have no idea what other issues this poor girl may have had

Precisely, savory, and worse still - knowing that such people can't respond - they can always lay the blame on them later (implied or otherwise) by claiming that they "didn't know/didn't understand"

Ashamed for being a rape apologist?

The Royal Family wouldn't have wanted that hanging over them and putting a dampener on the Platimum Jubilee celebrations. Better to pay someone off and not have to deal with the press coverage of a court case.

I don't think it would have just been the Queen's decision, she would have been given advice by 'the men in grey suits'.

I bet it would have been put to VG's legal team about the Queen's age and health as well.

That's just my view anyway.

I do find it odd that he stayed 'friends' with Sarah after their divorce yet their marriage was unviable and he has had no significant romantic interest (as in, like, adult woman in normal healthy relationship) since. There is something very strange about him as a man. He also dated a soft porn star, famously, in his early twenties. It all indicates a quite disturbing attitude to women, even before these allegations broke.

I agree. The average person is not surrounded by advisors and security. They do not have their every contact vetted to death. the Royals do. They have a vast staff dedicated to their PR. Probably more than likely, they get 'advice' then don't take it, because they think they know better. They don't accept that they are actually pretty clueless, poor judges of character and are prone to flattery from people trying to manipulate them. That's not necessarily their fault, but it is the fault of the system of Monarchy, where ordinary people are never tested or challenged in any way, they can have anything they want and are never told 'no' from an early age, surrounded by sycophants and forelock tuggers, desperate to please them.

Exactly MI5 and others will provide amazing intelligence if required to the RF about any potential embarrasements that third parties might bring one can only assume they don't care and continue these relationships regardless.

They have been happy to be seen driving him around on at least 2 occasions. They haven't 'distanced' themselves at all.

I think Andrew has done irreparable damage to the royal family and if they have any sense at all, they should banish him and not be allow him to sidle back in

It's possible they can't afford to risk banishing someone who's been around so long and will know so much, @StScholastica, but never underestimate the RF's ability to protect themselves

As they'll have learned from long experience many of the public are fickle, and all it takes is a "Look over there!!" story and maybe a few pics of Catherine in a nice frock for many to stampede to the next thing, conveniently forgetting the bigger picture

Age of consent doesn’t apply to women who have been trafficked.

I was coming on to say very similar-

I am not a fan of Andrew.
Spoiled, petulant, entitled and expected everything on a silver platter.
Zero accountability.

His upbringing did him no favours and he enjoyed the private jets and extravagant lifestyle that rich friends provided in exchange for the cache of entertaining a Prince.

Having said all that he was not the brightest bulb on the string.
Of course he should be accountable for his actions but I feel like he is a very small fish in this sordid pond.

I am continually amazed that so many high powered politicians/Presidents and very very rich men have remained scot free.
Ghislaine Maxwell in jail-rightly so-but what about the countless men who were there? The flight manifests make interesting reading but no one is ever charged? The whole thing stinks.

And re Epstein's "suicide" it's such a coincidence that the cameras/monitoring system went down when it happened isn't it?

Think her marriage broke down. Sad for her family.

I think Andrew has done irreparable damage to the royal family and if they have any sense at all, they should banish him and not be allow him to sidle back in.

I am glad that at least William and Kate seem to be maintaining a bit of a distance.

If they were all convinced of his innocence it would have made more sense to let it go to court rather than pay millions

I agree that's how it looks to a layperson, @Zonder, but this has all been explained before by people much better versed in these matters, and for Andrew at least it seemed to concern what else might have been dragged out in court if he'd appeared, how long it would have gone on bearing in mind the upcoming jubilee, and how appealing a nice payout - which doesn't involve any admission of guilt - would have been in the circumstances

Overall I'm not even sure what difference a conviction would have made to his image when we're already aware he was happy to go along with a convicted paedophile and lie about their continued connection, to say nothing of all the rest.
There are only so many times we can say the man's a complete skunk, and most already know that anyway

This. We have no idea of what went on in this poor child's life. Andrew was not the only player but the only one who she named. Wonder why that was? Where the others far more dangerous to name? Andrew is particularly thick and had the RF to bail him out, so quite an easy target.

I hope she finds some peace and also the people she left behind

Andrew is scum and should be barred from the RF. And just exiled to live in a bedsit in somewhere remote and cold. He can only claim basic benefits of about £70 a week. Or he has to work in a hard labour camp.

I don't understand why they still allow him to events etc. his wife and kids are arseholes for protecting him as well.

The poor woman was used by men all her adult life. The worst being the lawyers and journalists who encouraged her to lie or exaggerate the truth.

The poor woman was caught in a lie and knew it cast doubt on everything else she had said.

I have no doubt it was suicide. Her family had turned against her and she was in despair.

But Andrew - if he did sleep with her - was a very minor player in her tragedy.

You're unreasonable @Muffinmam for linking to the shit-stirring Mail. You've just sent more clicks their way.

Good eh?

What do you hope to achieve by your thread?