I blame the security services more than Prince Andrew

[IdaGlossop]

Prince Andrew is entitled, completely lacking in good judgement and not bright. Now it appears he has added treason to his list of misdemeanors. Don't get me wrong: I have no sympathy for him. However, I am wondering what the royal protection officers and security services were doing during the 10-year 'friendship' between H6 and Andrew. They certainly weren't protecting him from himself.

He's a grown man. His choices are his own. Suspect he's a nightmare to advise in any case, given he's spoilt, entitled and dim.

Agree that it’s likely he was advised and decided he knew best.

I have a feeling that a fair number of the so called good and great also met him, including but presumably not limited to George Osborne.

I mean the man is definitely a sleazy money grabbing prat, but I'm inclined to agree that this one isn't wholly on him.

George Osborne seemed very pro-China when Chancellor, more than just acknowledging the Chinese part in the world economy and dependence on some things they make.

Totally agree with this. He is breathtakingly arrogant even after everything that he's done. He embodies 'droit de seigneur' and I believe is a deeply unpleasant man who loses his temper when challenged in any way.

Can you imagine trying to tell someone who is entitled, completely lacking in good judgement and not bright who to be friends with?

Oh good Christ they already have to babysit a grown man like Andrew and now you're assuming they should also analyse every political ramification of each interaction or 'friendship' he has? These are the people who let that idiot run around with Jeffrey Epstein FFS!

And besides...if you think the Royals and higher ups in the UK don't meet/befriend dodgy rich and powerful types from around the world for their own gain then you are sadly quite naive.

Goodness, you are rather aggressive. There are no assumptions or naivety on my part. The dodgy dealings of the already very rich turn my stomach. My reflection is about the effectiveness of the security services and what that might mean for UK security, not a plea to further babysit Andrew.

Treason? What has he done?

I don't think the RPS are there to protect his reputation.
He's always been a bit of a prick, and lacking purpose ever since Billy was born.

I agree with this - he was given a specific role by the UK Government to 'get closer' to China and this man's name was someone he was asked to get closer to.

I can't stand the man but this really isn't only on him.

Sleazy Andy is responsible for himself.

He's vulnerable for sure but that's his own making and because he's always desperate for cash. People will take advantage and he'll let them if they give him the right bung.

I only wonder what isn't being reported.

I blame an archaic system whereby regardless of how stupid, amoral and unfit for role a person is, by accident of birth they are elevated over other people, despite often being inferior to those people in every way that matters. The ridiculous situation whereby we fawn, pander, bow and scrape to this family makes it extremely difficult for those tasked with managing them to keep them in line. I feel sorry for anyone employed to go near the sorry excuse for a man and don't for a moment see his endless idiocy as their fault.

I do agree that Andrew needed to be given better guidance - he simply did not have the ability or education to discern who was dodgy and who was not. They needed to spell it out to him in very simple terms - and I don’t think they did this. There should have been people considering the political ramifications of Andrew’s interactions because they were potentially so dangerous and he was not capable of doing this himself. I can’t believe he didn’t get better advice before the Emily Maitlis interview too - at the very least they should have told him that he needed to apologise for maintaining his friendship with Epstein after he was convicted and that he should express sympathy for Epstein’s victims - while also insisting on his own innocence. So simple; why did no one tell him? He’s clearly an entitled, ignorant and deluded man (at best) and those that know him must be aware of this so why do they not protect him?

Who knows? He may have betrayed his country by revealing sensitive information in order to cosy up to people with the potential to make him even richer.

As is often the case the first post nails it.

One of his advisors counselled against the Newsnight interview. As Andrew ignored the advice, he resigned. No doubt Andrew ignores advice every day.

Aggressive? It's not like a swore at you directly. Anyway, sorry, I'm not British, I don't always pad out my anonymous posts with niceties 😅🤣

I don't think Royal Protection officers are assigned to do much more than make sure the likes of Andrew don't come to any physical harm. And the Security Services are 'subjects' of this ridiculous family just as much as the rest of us, so I doubt they could do much about his actions even if they might want to.

Or, and this is probably the likelier option - the Royals and the Government make out that the Chinese and whoever else are the baddies to the general public, and quite happily make their advantageous friendships and take their bribes in private.

Yes ,because Prince Andrew definitely has access to top secret information.

I can just see it now, him sitting there at Pizza Express perusing the latest nuclear codes and being consulted on whether or not we should let Ukraine into NATO.

Please, no one will have let him near the dinner menu at the Palace let alone sensitive information 😂

Aggression isn't just about swearing. It's also about tone and choice of language.

Yours is a good analysis, all the more so because you see things from a different point of view to someone born British. I have long seen the royal family as soap opera who may as well stay as not. However, their financial shenanigans, lack of transparency over their wealth and lack of financial contribution to their so-called people eg by paying inheritance tax mean that I now think it's time they went.

@IdaGlossop tone is hard to get across in text. Perhaps more emojis next time 😆 heaven forbid I come across as aggressive rather than just generally exasperated with royals like Andrew!

As this is not my country I don't feel I can have an opinion over whether the UK keeps it's royal family or not. Though it's nice to see that posters like yourself can see past the everyday framing of their actions as solely beneficial and benevolent 😁 would love to see some of the nutty responses you'd get on this topic if you'd posted in the royal section 😅

@JustHiker this is my first 'original' MN post and I wanted to put it in Royals, which I couldn't see in the drop-down menu. Never mind.

By way of confession, I admit I have curtsied to Princess Anne in her capacity as Chancellor of the University of London to make my mum happy. It was my graduation. My mum was slavishly devoted to the Royal family and went berserk when I told her that revising for my O levels (I'm old) was more important for my future life than watching the silver jubilee on telly.

The whole thing is a ridiculous charade - parading with feathers waving in velvet hats while food bank use increases. And what an awful life for them, with every public word and expression scrutinised. The French sorted this out in 1792.

The same could be said of Prime Minister Boris Johnsons security detail who managed to not see him attending illegal gatherings.

HRH isn't going to Sandringham this Christmas. So he's gone from keeping out of the public eye to really, really keeping out of the public eye. And keeping out of sight of The Firm too.

Maybe’s he’s just worried Charles will book the movers to clear Royal Lodge while he’s at Sandringham.