Despite his villainous behaviour, anyone feel a teeny bit sorry for Andrew?

[busymomtoone]

Before I get totally flamed, I despise his attitude, and the things he appears to have done - particularly the subsequent lying and apparent determination to shield/ hide misdemeanours. However, seeing the photo of his release today looking a broken man after such huge public downfall , plus thinking of him going back to an empty house on his birthday with no family support - even though I initially felt he deserves every indignity and consequence - there’s still a teeny part of me that just can’t help feeling just a little bit sorry for him. If it’s true that he was taken to a brothel at age 11 , whilst it would in no way excuse abusing others , it means he has also been a victim of abuse. Additionally it seems the Queen and his entourage have never ever said no to him in his whole life- so to reach his 7th decade before any consequences hit makes me question how resilient he will be able to be. Obviously main sympathies are always rightly with any victims , but even the most hardened and perpetual criminals often retain family support, he seems to have nobody. ( albeit if his own making ) or am I just being too soft?!

There are no felt butterflies

There are no butterflies attached. Those are the child’s hands.

Why was that woman paid off?

Exactly. You don't hand over £12 million for no reason. I can see that it would avoid awkward scrutiny and publicity but even so...

It’s all over social media. Cartoons, even a meme saying his family will be sad about the car accident next week. Etc
Im not defending him, just saying his mental state may need keeping an eye on.

PhD? Where do you get that from?

Nope. He made choices and only has himself to blame.

If there is any evidence that any of his family or staff suspected his behaviour and enabled it rather than reporting him then they also deserve what should be coming to them.

I understand where you’re coming from op. The level of media attention is unprecedented, it’s not just national news but global. On a personal level, it’s got to be overwhelming to be hated by everyone.

However, he knew he was a prince when he was doing wrong things and associating with a sex offender (and allowing the sex offender to take compromising photos that implicated him).

He thought he was above what is expected of normal people.

I don't think it's unprecedented given that it's a member of the Royal family that's been arrested

Well no, I’m speaking about how it feels for him. And I clearly mention he would have known this would happen.

Anything involving the BRF generates huge global media interest. See also, Diana, Harry, Meghan.

I know.

They're being investigated for offences committed in British law/things that are contrary to the interests of the UK. And in the course of those investigations, the searches of paperwork, emails, call logs and the like may reveal other information and evidence that could expand the range of people.

A way of looking at it would be that they've provided two handy weak spots - first Mandelson and then, possibly through something in his investigation, they've found things that made it feasible to arrest AMW and do the same.

Once it leaps over to Chinese interests, then the bit people are talking about - the sexual behaviour, foul though it is - will fall by the wayside due to the implications for national security.

My eyes aren't the best but I can see the hands.

The butterfly comments are ridiculous.

Government considers removing Andrew from royal line of succession. This should be a priority now.

This is quite the move. When was the last time this happened?

They won’t introduce legislation to remove Andrew from the line of succession until the police investigation (and any court case) is concluded. I imagine that is months/years away.

I have genuinely turned republican over this, and I've been monarchist all my life. I'm fed up of being one of the little people.

Just kick them all out and elect Tony Blair instead and be done with it :)
(You know he'd put his hat in the ring..)

In much the same way as Matt Hancock (the affair bit) stopped me seeing the best in politicians. I felt a bit sorry for him during covid as I thought he was hard working / genuine. (he's just a bit younger than me).

I'm not going to spend the rest of my live being as naive an gullible.

If they cut Andrew off presumably the ones below him go as well?

Article in The Guardian today in which it says that Charles tried to stop the Trade Envoy role as it was 'a disaster waiting to happen'
PhD??? Maybe Doctor of Privilege.

Not enough people would vote for him for a start.

In an ideal world, former PMs would be barred from applying.

A presidency shouldn't be seen as the "next step" for power hungry people.

He would have cheered up once he got home and stuffed himself with birthday cake and gin.

"Those coppers think they're better than me," he would have mumbled, shovelling in another slice, "but they have to shine their own shoes!"

"Shine their own fucking shoes, can you imagine?" And he would have sprayed cake everywhere while bursting into weird laughter, and raising his middle finger at an imaginary "copper".

Or any politicians at all. Imagine if we ended up with President Farage.

Nor was Jimmy Saville so in your world, do the same rules apply to him?