..to find the pictures of Prince Andrew..

[BertrandRussell]

...sitting next to the Queen in the car in the way to Church deeply distasteful? I suppose all our institutions are corrupt if you look under the surface, but this is so blatant. How do Monarchists defend it?

It’s as though he’s hiding behind her skirts and if he had any decency he would distance himself from the monarchy, not creep closer.

It just shows how they'll do absolutely anything to ensure that power and money remains in their family and nobody else's. No matter what members of the family may get up to, which should render them absolutely unfit for the role they were born into.

Despite everything he has been accused of (in the press, not by any actual court), is it disrespectful for an adult child to be with their parent?

The monarchy is a joke, time for them to lead private lives imo.

The pictures of him at the golf tournament in NI made me more uncomfortable. Poor winner having to stand next to Andrew.

What photos....?

They dont have to defend it ! Its the Royal family.

Not seen any pictures, but I can't get wound up by mother and son sat together in a car TBF.

According to Private Eye, Andrew is her favourite son and Palace officials counselled that he should keep a low profile but the Queen overruled them.

How true that is I don't know. But this isn't about a bloke sitting next to his Mum in a car. It's a public show of support for a man who has been accused of some really unpleasant behaviour. The Palace officials know this and how it will look to the media and the general public, which is why they (allegedly) have advised against it.

How could he "not know"? Epstein was convicted and sent to jail. Of course Andrew knew that.

I suspect ‘suspicions’ didn’t come into it. I think we are talking about a time when Prince Andrew would have known exactly what was going on - very rich man pays young women for sex - and would just have thought it was a ‘perk’ of being rich and privileged. This was nearly 20 years ago. It’s not unlikely that Prince Andrew, around 40 at the time, thought there was nothing odd at all about 18 year old girls fawning over a prince and his extraordinarily wealthy pal.

I can’t imagine the 93 year old queen giving her middle-aged son a talking to about his awful taste in friends and his risky sex life.

I suppose the “it’s just a mother and son in a car together” posters are a depressing illustration of why it will probably all just go away.

Well if they had got separate cars on their own a huge deal would have been made out of that presumably...

I still haven't found these pictures. Do I have to look on the DM website?

I suppose the “it’s just a mother and son in a car together” posters are a depressing illustration of why it will probably all just go away.

To be fair, Bertrand, I was being a little cheeky in my response.

But in terms of the facts, that is what it is. The Queen in a car with her son.

I don't particularly like Prince Andrew, but he hasn't been charged with a crime.

The RF are a bunch of tight-fisted scroungers who will happily snuggle up to any passing billionaire who fancies paying the bills for the privilege of their 'friendship'. I think Prince Andrew is both bewildered and irritated by all the fuss and probably thinks 'well, that's what they were there for', in the way that a cook is in the kitchen therefore dinner and a masseuse is there to massage. He is renowned for being a bit dim and the legal age of the women probably never crossed his mind. Had you pointed out his daughters were of similar age, I suspect a royal tantrum would have resulted insisting it's not the same thing at all! Quite.

@Winterlife
I do buy he had no suspicions, as from everything I have read, he is dumber than a bag of hammers.

Gets my vote for best post in the thread 😂

They have people to tell them this stuff. Advisors. Personal Secretaries. He would have been told. It is inconceivable that he did not know.

thought there was nothing odd at all about 18 year old girls fawning over a prince and his extraordinarily wealthy pal.

...and to be fair, wealthy good-looking men are always surrounded by fawning girls. Or fawning young men, depending on preferences. I find the constant claims that young women are completely clueless, and always victims, a bit annoying. One of the accusers has talked about being paid $20,000 for an afternoon's orgy.

It was a different time, this is what was accepted of a certain type of girl. Growing up I was a barmaid in the local pub. There was another woman my age, about 18, who all the regulars (gamekeepers and beaters) would joke about, cos she’d slept with so many of them. She was considered a slag or a bit of a good time lass, and I was considered foolish because I was friendly towards her.

Now we see things in a completely different light. Now we see that actually she was a vulnerable young adult with few options and little power. Now we see these men for the predatory, manipulative shits they were. I sometimes wonder if they lie awake at night thinking about the past catching up with them.

I find the constant claims that young women are completely clueless, and always victims, a bit annoying. One of the accusers has talked about being paid $20,000 for an afternoon's orgy.

It’s funny how the daughters of these rich men don’t take advantage of such opportunities

How unreasonable that Epstein was sent to prison just for giving these girls opportunities.......

Well obviously those chosen by God to rule and their children and grandchildren are a cut above the rest of us scum.

He is the Queen's favourite

And you know that how? The Queen told you herself? Or wait, you read it in the Sun or the Mail?
Is there any mother on this planet, queen or not, who would ever express a favourite amongst her children?