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.

Absolutely

However it does seem a bit late for Starmer et al to start on about "Chinese influence" when they've already sold out so much to them ... after all what else did they expect from this particular regime?

I think he's an idiot and has been shown to make poor choices in his friends. I did wonder why his security didn't advise him against certain people, but I think he may also be arrogant and not listen to anyone.
I think the Queen protected him as her favourite son so he has been allowed to act like a complete idiot for way too long. I'll be amazed if Charles doesn't boot him from the house he isn't keeping up on, unless he made a promise to their mother.

I think he may be on the autistic spectrum. Even the most entitled and arrogant person would cover their tracks better, but he seems unaware of consequences. Such a charge would be difficult for security staff.

I initially thought that he was being hung out to dry by politicians who very much wanted him to help smooth pathways etc. But it really does look like he is an idiot. A very useful idiot to some it would seem.

I saw someone online show a clip of a comedian saying Andrew was something between a bellend and an arsehole. Therefore, he should be known as the People's Perineum. I think there should be a televised ceremony of the conferring of this honour by the nation.

He's not going to the pre-Christmas bash at Buckingham Palace, either.

You’re right, I bet a bunch of people knew exactly what was going on, I don’t think any of these people act in isolation

He's not fucking autistic, he's just an entitled, egotistical idiot.

He’s the author of his own misfortune.

An over entitled pillock, like most of the royals. 🙄

You don't need to be autistic to behave like Andrew - though I realise it's semi-obligatory on here - you just need to believe you're untouchable, either because otthers don't wish to act or can't afford to

Yes, Royal/diplomatic/VVIP protection officers are an elite police squad.

They are not part of MI5 or MI6, and wouldn’t have the bigger picture of any covert investigation into the backgrounds of any people he was meeting.

Their role is to keep their principle safe from all forms of violence and threats of kidnap. Not to babysit them or vet their activities. If there were ever concerns about who a Principal was meeting, the likeliest route for that information would be from the Cabinet Office (who do the assessments based on information from all sources including the security and intelligence services) to the Principal’s Private Office.

That Andrew was smuggling people in for a jolly inside the Palaces suggests that either he or his Private Secretary had not been warned off (possibly because the security services wanted to keep things running whilst they amassed more information, and Andrew did not hold any information that would pose an immediate threat to national security) or that they had deliberately decided not to heed any such warning.

One of the things that ER Ii compelled, and that the King has not changed, is that Andrew no longer uses HRH

The RF made a big mistake in cutting off money (or cutting back) to PA.

Cutting him loose to fend for himself financially was always going to end badly.

They're all a bunch of dimwits. They've learned nothing from hundreds of years of the history of spares.

They're all a bunch of dimwits. They've learned nothing from hundreds of years of the history of spares.

Au contraire - they have learned (or employed the best) to keep their ill gotten gains very very very well hidden.

Yes, the stashing of wealth far from the public eye is second nature, but they have never learned how to deal with princes of the blood who are never going to sit their ample arises on the throne.

How to educate, how to fund, what should they do with themselves between age 18 and 98, given that a life of indolence / sponging hasnt looked acceptable since the 1930s.

It will be interesting to see what sort of education Charlotte and Louis receive, and whether they will be expected to find careers for themselves. Charlotte is slightly different since she's a girl, but Louis will possibly have to knuckle down and get a profession or job or make a real career in the armed forces.

It will be interesting to see what sort of education Charlotte and Louis receive, and whether they will be expected to find careers for themselves. Charlotte is slightly different since she's a girl, but Louis will possibly have to knuckle down and get a profession or job or make a real career in the armed forces

Andrew had a real career in the Armed Forces. It's not preventative of being an arse!

I expect the Wales DC will have similar education to their parents - they're already at a prep school, they'll probably board from 13+ and will then go to university and study something that genuinely interests them (without having to worry about how "useful" the subject is). There may be gap years before/after university, and a spell in the Armed Forces is possible for any of the three - length of time they serve would depend on which bit they go in to, and whether they pass the exams to progress up the rank structure (Andrew did, Harry never took them). Then, I hope, the chance to work for a few years, even if that has to be balanced with the start of royal duties (like the Anglesey years for William)

Whether they continue with a career, or are part time plus duties, or become full time working royals will depend on their individual wishes balanced against what the Family Firm would like in terms of the numbers out and about.

The DC of the Princess Royal and (I assume) of the Edinburghs give some idea of the sorts of things that have been tried so far, for those who do no duties beyond occasionally turning up at the odd garden party, at Ascot, on the balcony (rare now, but there used to be bigger family groups), Sandringham church on Christmas Day, and the family births/marriages/deaths.

In the old days they would have been sent off to war on behalf of the crown and the problem usually resolved itself.

These days if they do join up and get deployed they are likely kept out of harms way.

But he's still addressed as Your Royal Highness. At least that's how Emily Maitliss addressed him.

I would love to be a historian in 100 years time looking back at the Windsor era. I wonder what they'll make of them through a historical lens.

Well eras died with the "Edwardian" - despite the Queens extraordinary reign.

Well yes, she would, as his removal from public duties and appointments, and dropping use of HRH came after that

Just to be really pessimistic for a moment, the Second Elizabethan Age may well exist as a concept for future historians, describing the time between the end of WW2 and the start of the next global conflagration. The dates don’t map exactly, but they’re near enough.

the blame is squarely on Andrew for this

for example

if Andrew would even listen to the services
if Andrew was told but ignored the advice anyway
if Andrew thought x agent is not telling me who to wine and dine etc
if thy had blackmail information on Andrew so he had no choice but to co operate
if its part of a larger picture and suddenly the Chinese spy became an expendable asset for one reason or another

Ultimately, the security services can only do so much when dealing with Prince Andrew. Apart from physically locking him away, they cannot force him to make sensible decisions. Their role is advisory and protective, not authoritarian.