Ghislaine Maxwell has been arrested.

[ArriettyJones]

By the FBI.

Some good need for a change.

I don’t like the implications either it’s like saying Hugh Grant must’ve known them and all the other celebrities that went to Oxford.

It’s a good thing she has been arrested. Awful woman.

As an aside let’s not forget that the entire royal family has always had dubious connections. Jimmy Savile was ‘friends’ with all of them and allowed open access to their houses. Given what came out about him later, it seems that they knowingly spent their time with a child trafficker, pedophile and necrophile (because if the police knew, and they did then so would the RF)

So it’s not just Andrew whose dodgy imo.

I think GM was possibly also in the same set at Oxford as Olivia Channon. And very possibly Nigella too then as I'm sure she was good friends with Olivia Channon.

And we could go on and on re Oxford.....

Q

I guess the thing is that during the hedonistic early 80s, the Bright Young Things of Oxford (much more so than Cambridge) were a real tour de force and often their shenanigans were reported in the national press, also because of very high profile parents. So whilst you can't tar them all with the GM brush, they would have been part of the same social scene - that is a fact. But no more a thing than Darius Guppy (mastermind diamond fraudster), one time great friend of Charles Spencer (and also part of the Bullingdon Club) being part of the same scene, albeit possibly three or four years later.

From the Epstein documentary, I got the impression that he was shy and naturally a bit of a loner. GM brought to the table her networking and vivacity. If she was that good at the former, her little black book would have included anyone who was anyone on an international scale.

Q? (Is this that conspiracy theory about Donald Trump coming to save the world)?

[quote WineAndHobnobs]@missyoumuch But Andrew didn't traffick her though, I thought? that was Epstein and Maxwell? And she was over 16 and in the UK that's not a crime. Sorry, not defending him, just trying to understand the charges.[/quote]
Not sure when people started excusing rapists because they "didn't know" ? Or are we still tugging our forelocks even now (hint: I most certainly am not).

It's a crystal clear fact of law that being unaware of a girls age, or whether she is trafficked or not does not excuse the abuser. So who cares whether Prince Andrew knew or not ? You don't get off that easily.

And - most crucially - the UK has laws against trafficking too. Which would satisfy the conditions for an extradition (since the US-UK agreement doesn't ask for anymore than a "prima facia" case as opposed to real evidence).

I also think there's no chance of Andrew going anywhere. But it's the fairy story that the palace will have to dream up and maintain forever that will be interesting.

Oh, and any mention of Robert "thieving bastard" Maxwell needs to remember the Mirror pensioners and the Tory government on whose watch they were fleeced. Bearing in mind (from memory) they (and Private Eye) had warned the DHSS repeatedly that Maxwell was dipping his sticky little paws into the pension pots. Which back then was not only entirely legal, but positively encouraged.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/broken-jeffrey-epstein/id1478460758
Well worth a listen in my opinion!

From the Epstein documentary, I got the impression that he was shy and naturally a bit of a loner.

So am I. But I've somehow got through my mostly lone life without trafficking or raping children. Because yuck.

I hope she is found guilty and goes down for a long time.

She'll make a deal in return for giving all the names and evidence she has.

@DoctorTwo I was in no way implying he was less culpable for what they did.

Each time Andrew has been in the press over his connection to Epstein, the Queen has rewarded him in some way, even though it was well-known that he had chosen to continue his alliance with Epstein following Epstein’s conviction for child abuse in 2008. In 2015, following more revelations, she made him a vice-admiral. After his disastrous Newsnight interview, he was seen sitting next to her on their way to Church at Sandringham and was photographed riding with her in the grounds of the Windsor estate.

Either she is being appallingly advised or she feels the need to demonstrate her absolute belief in Andrew’s far-fetched version of events. Whatever the reason, it leaves a bad impression on the people of this country and I feel that the way the monarchy have chosen to navigate this scandal has been damaging to the entire institution. This will not do Elizabeth’s legacy any good at all.

Nonsense. It has no bearing on her legacy. Andrew's always been dodgy.

Do you expect her to fire him as her son?

@EachandEveryone it isn't really the Oxford connection imo it's Bullingdon. Graduation from Bullingdon means you have very good, high placed connections. The sort that are powerful enough to make things go away.

Rumour has it that Andrew slept with a lot more girls and women that GM and JE procured for him and some much younger than Virginia. I really can't see him ever wearing an orange jumpsuit though.

A friend, who is a conspiracy theorist, says that GM will die of "coronavirus complications" while in jail. We will see if she is right or not...

Great, another paedophile conspiracy involving Conservatives.

Remind me how the last one went?

What do people expect the Queen to do about it? He has already been stripped of his duties and is apparently broke. They can't force him to cooperate with the FBI. He'd be utterly crazy to do so.

@3cats

What do people expect the Queen to do about it? He has already been stripped of his duties and is apparently broke. They can't force him to cooperate with the FBI. He'd be utterly crazy to do so.

We return (again) to what's the point of the Monarchy anyway. They have no special powers. They can't do anything except spend the money we give them. Everytime someone thinks they've cracked the secret of the monarchy it turns out they are wrong.

And we've all paid to bring Prince Andrew up. Maybe we do get a say in what he should be doing ?

And we've all paid to bring Prince Andrew up. Maybe we do get a say in what he should be doing?

Have we paid to raise him? I thought the Queen was one of the wealthiest women in the country.

I'm not defending him. I just want to know what specifically people expect to happen. He has been forcibly "retired". He has't been convicted of a crime and isn't actually being accused of a crime (yet). The FBI have stated they want to interview him. He has declined, which I think is his legal right. So, what should happen to him? Sent to The Tower and beheaded?

Have we paid to raise him? I thought the Queen was one of the wealthiest women in the country.

The civil list was very much in operation (if very very secret) when Andy was growing up. And that came from taxpayers. And remember - if you don't pay your tax, they lock you up, it's not like we all had a choice.

I'm not a massive fan of monarchies, in case you hadn't noticed.

I just want to know what specifically people expect to happen.

The rule of law ?

@DGRossetti

Have we paid to raise him? I thought the Queen was one of the wealthiest women in the country.

The civil list was very much in operation (if very very secret) when Andy was growing up. And that came from taxpayers. And remember - if you don't pay your tax, they lock you up, it's not like we all had a choice.

I'm not a massive fan of monarchies, in case you hadn't noticed.

If your mum got any form of child benefit we all paid to bring you up.

Your argument is ridiculous. If you're going to turn this into an anti-monarchy rant surely you can do better?

If your mum got any form of child benefit we all paid to bring you up.

And you'd expect me to obey the law in return. So same difference.

Your argument is ridiculous. If you're going to turn this into an anti-monarchy rant surely you can do better?

The Monarchy is ridiculous. It's impossible not to sound ridiculous when you start discussing it - including getting rid if it.