Prince Andrew Part 2

[SunsetBoulevard3]

Here is another thread to discuss the PA interview and its repercussions.

Thank you to whoever linked to the pitch@palace article- before reading it I thought it was a golf business, like pitch n putt at the palace

I think it's interesting that this whole episode has really highlighted the failings of the queen. She really is out of touch, public support for her son who is linked to a child abuser has not gone down well with the public.

Also the fact that he had to literally be forced off his glory projects like Pitch is sickening. He resigned but thought he'd keep a few key projects. Fuck off. Just slows his arrogance, I'll throw a few crumbs to the people and then carry on regardless but the people are really baying for his head. Every single person I know is now sick of all of them. The apples do not fall far from the tree, and whilst the queen has been admirable their awful father has been embarrassing, bigoted, arrogant and out of touch.

And it's clear that retiring early for PA means trips to the palace for tea and snacks, and horseriding with mama dear. The queen can support him privately, we've had a few shows of public support this week and it does not reflect well on the queen whom I used to admire. I really do think the support for the monarchy is the lowest it's ever been and I can't see Charles or weak Wills reversing that.

I'm not sure it does highlight failings of the Queen. Some, many mothers will always stand by their sons without looking at any situation objectively.

We see this on here time and time again when woman's dh treats them abombnibly and Mil isn't impartial... Supports son, talking about violence, cheating etc.

They are a family at end of day not public property.
Personally I think this should have happened from the get go but they are coming at it from position of denial and no great focus on the victims.

I think the killer moment would be if Virginia could identify something on pa body...

In all my years I’ve never seen such an outpouring of media stories against one individual.
They aren’t just daily, sometimes there’s two or three a day.
Like a massive boil has been lanced and it won’t stop oozing.
Like I’ve said previously, the press have sat on these stories for decades just waiting for the right opportunity.

Whatever he’s done to them, he’s been hated. While Diana was the press’s darling PA in his clodhopper way has managed to alienate them and he’s done so at his peril.

He’s thought he was untouchable.

Did no one ever tell tell him to be nice to those on your way up, you might need them to be nice to you on your way down.

The contempt that man (and presumably all of them) have for the rest of us is galling

Yes, but at least they usually manage to keep it under wraps, either by squashing any threat which comes their way or just downright lying. Add a heap of expensive PR and you've got a nice little thing going on taxpayers' backs, except that this time they've made a public mess rather than a behind-the-scenes one

As for Fergie's grinning face when arriving at Buck House, she could easily have been salivating over the payout she was about to get for keeping schtum

And on a side note, I wonder if anyone - anyone at all - still believes that Epstein really did commit suicide

Beatrice was never planning a big wedding anyway apparently

Hmmm... Eugenie had a fairly flash large wedding last year, well to us anyway. I would imagine Beatrice would've wanted much the same. Not now. The press will be all over it for the wrong reasons.

Also they both do a few royal duties, Andrew has pushed for this, I wonder if that will all stop now.

As for the horseriding with his mother, why in hell's name can't he just stay inside for a while? Why did he have to go for a horse ride in the rain with his mother, he could've just avoided that. Despite stepping down, he is not truly contrite. He was going to carry on with Bahrain, with Pitch and Putt at the Palace (hehe) and has been forced to stop everything which tells us everything we need to know. A palace aide quoted that he was going to step down for a few months only, then resume everything. Not any more. This is it.

As for Fergie's grinning face when arriving at Buck House, she could easily have been salivating over the payout she was about to get for keeping schtum

Exactly. I read that Charles was furious she'd come to Buck House and vowed it would never happen again. That woman is a leech, always popping up grinning like a jackass.

As Andrew is cast out, by default I think this will mean the daughters will not be doing royal duties any more and hopefully Fergie will for once take a back seat. OTOH, maybe she'll go on Oprah bemoaning what it means for 'her girls'. Who knows. She's done it before and has no filter.

After all, there's her series on the Oprah channel called 'Finding Sarah'. All about the RF and being cast out blah blah. Nauseating. Those two (Andrew and Sarah) never ever know when to just shut up

Why did he have to go for a horse ride in the rain with his mother, he could've just avoided that

More to the point, the Queen - whose judgement we're all invited to admire - could also have avoided it

But she didn't, which is why I'm not convinced Andrew will be quite as "sidelined" as many expect

Yes- I’ve always been fascinated by this image of the queen as wise and “never putting a foot wrong”. I suspect it only came from never saying anything or being proactive about anything....

I doubt Beatrice will even get married now. I suspect the fiance will wheel spin out of it all.

Maybe it was the Queen's misguided attempt to show that the RF are still united. She got it wrong on that one I think.

I agree Bertrand Russell.
Plus she has paid advisors.

She had Andrew in the car beside her on the way to church when the press first started asking questions about Andrew recently, before his tv interview, sending out a very clear message.

And she got it totally wrong when Diana died.

Maybe the Queen is, despite it all, standing by her son. Parents can do that without approving of their children's behaviour, I'll always stand by mine no matter what they do, they will always have a roof over their heads as long as I can provide one. That doesn't mean I have to accept everything they do though.

Surely she could support him personally without making a public statement about it? She could do the first while still deploring his actions.

I watched the DI video last night. Ok, I know he’s a bit marmite and what he said in an hour he could’ve boiled down to 20 minutes but he raised something that always niggled away at Me. This business about the duchy of Cornwall money going to Charles and the duchy of Lancaster money going to the queen.

What money is it? And why does that happen?
That doesn’t sit right with me and obviously doesn’t with DI..as he so rightly says..that money belongs to the people of the two counties

As I understand it ( please correct me if I’m wrong Cornwall is not a very well off county anyway) so that money could well be put to use.
I’ve done no research on this so I could be talking Out of my backside

Another point he raised is this one about the monarch having no real power.
Again having done no research, it just made me aware of how many of our public institutions have HM in front of them, prisons, tax office, armed forces..I’ve forgotten a few..but ships were another one.

We think we are a modern country . How can we be we are steeped in such archaic tradition that’s all linked to one family.

i actually think the issue is to do with class and attitudes to women. The Queen has grown up with a philandering husband . In aristocratic circles a man having sex with young compliant women is just something you do if you can, even if you are married. Having dodgy contacts, doing deals under the table etc are all par for the course. Morality doesn't come into it much probably. If you grow up 'turning a blind eye' as the Queen says in the Crown, that probably extends to your children. HM seems to have a blind spot where Andrew is concerned anyway. God knows why. He comes across as arrogant, spoilt and stupid. At least Charles genuinely seems to care about some issues, PA doesn't . His only interest is lining his own pockets and pushing his own family as far to the top as he can.
I also don't think the Queen can imagine the sorts of things that probably went on in Epstein's homes . It is a totally foreign world to her. Real abuse of power, trafficking, and exploitation are things outwith her experience. She probably just thinks 'poor old Andy, he didn't have a wife. He was just trying to enjoy himself, and those women must have done it willingly.'

Dowser
He made some very interesting points, but does pad them out a bit!

Here is the link for anyone else interested:

@SunsetBoulevard3 I think you’re right. Makes a bit of a nonsense of all the “she offers such wise counsel to our politicians- she’s worth every penny” justifications, doesnm’t it?

Interesting link @Dowser.

Just read the DM. Apparently when PA met Epstein in NY, staying at his house for five days, there was a party celebrating his release from prison and among others, Woodley Allen was there - the man who married his stepdaughter. Why is all this only being reported now?

And another point
There’s talk of slimming down the monarchy...if we have to have them all I think we also need to look at slimming down the amount of royal palaces and other homes they inhabit.

It’s absolutely crazy.
In London alone there’s
Buckingham Palace
St James Palace
Kensington Palace
Clarence House
And there may be more grace and favour homes

Then just a stones throw away
Windsor Castle
Frogmore

Onto Norfolk and
Sandringham

Scotland
Holyrood
Balmoral
Castle of Mey

Northern Ireland
Hillsborough Castle

Apparently the monarch owns balmoral and sandringham but that just raises the question..how did they acquire them in the first place

If they really want to retain the good will of the people they need to hand a few back . Open them to the paying public to pay for their upkeep as museums, hold corporate events etc

The royals are like relics from a bygone era and it’s time for them to move with the times.

Whatever he’s done to them, he’s been hated.

I'd start with spraying them with paint when he was 24. Touted as a harmless prank by a fun lovin' party prinny

PA has always been a first class twat.

If they're serious about slimming down the monarchy maybe the grace and favour gaff Andrew's set to retain could be first?