Prince Andrew has bolted to Balmoral

[Viviennemary]

This according to guess who. The DM of course. To avoid getting papers served says the article. Maybe he's just gone for a nice break. Accompanied by Fergie.

Let's see what the US court decides on Monday

I wouldn’t hold your breath, nothing of substance will happen then, apart from maybe a discussion about whether the service is valid in New York, and whether the defendant has indicated what they intend to do in relation to the action.

Did he commit a criminal offence. His behaviour was dodgy associating with Epstein. Even for an ordinary person never mind a royal with status. IMHO this wll go nowhere. If there was proof it would be tried in the criminal court. Or maybe it can'tbe if he has diplomatic status. Very smoke and mirrors. We haven't got the full story.

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Do agree with that.
Challenges of his behaviour are long overdue. 12 years ago the Q apparently showed some concern about his friendship with E and A's associations as a trade envoy.
Well...showing 'some concern' does not cut it with me.

I understand that he is her son, but she has enough money, land and resources to support him in a very comfortable lifestyle as a private person. That should be enough

It'll probably have to be enough, since I doubt the next two monarchs can afford to be seen enabling him - Charles because his reputation's already damaged enough and William because his main selling point is being the squeaky clean one

According to the Sun online, Prince Andrew's legal team are claiming the papers weren't legally served, and that in 2009 VG reached an agreement settlement with JE where the contract stated she couldn't make claims against individuals. Prince Andrew's lawyers are hoping to have the case thrown out of court because of this. How true this is who knows, but it will be interesting to see what happens in Court on Monday.

Just thinking about Philip's funeral, where I watched the service but not much of the rest ... can anyone remember if the rest of the RF were cosying up to Andrew at that, or was it more of a reserved distance thing?

I realise most interaction (or lack of it) would probably happen away from the cameras, but just wondered if anyone picked anything up?

Social distancing was probably his friend there - they all sat in little bubbles, so after taking part in the very formal and choreographed march down to the church behind the Land Rover, he was really only close to his daughters, from memory

@Mamamia7962

According to the Sun online, Prince Andrew's legal team are claiming the papers weren't legally served, and that in 2009 VG reached an agreement settlement with JE where the contract stated she couldn't make claims against individuals. Prince Andrew's lawyers are hoping to have the case thrown out of court because of this. How true this is who knows, but it will be interesting to see what happens in Court on Monday.

That wouldn't surprise me but would the contract die with him and therefore become null and void?

I believe VG mentioned in her memoirs JE wanted to have a child with VG and wanted her to sign a contract that said among other things that should the relationship breakdown then he would have sole custody of the child/children.

www.businessinsider.com/inside-jeffrey-epstein-accuser-virginia-roberts-unsealed-memoir-2019-8?r=US&IR=T

That wouldn't surprise me but would the contract die with him and therefore become null and void?

No. And given she was paid an undisclosed sum of money under the settlement agreement, the term would be enforceable against her by Epstein and his representatives. Whether it could be enforced by a third party (like Prince Andrew) who won’t have been a party to the settlement agreement is a whole other questions, however (generally no, but that does depend on how its drafted and other things).

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Just thinking about Philip's funeral, where I watched the service but not much of the rest ... can anyone remember if the rest of the RF were cosying up to Andrew at that, or was it more of a reserved distance thing?

I realise most interaction (or lack of it) would probably happen away from the cameras, but just wondered if anyone picked anything up?

They weren't cosying up but neither was anybody being ignored.

Stormy:

"I believe VG mentioned in her memoirs JE wanted to have a child with VG and wanted her to sign a contract that said among other things that should the relationship breakdown then he would have sole custody of the child/children."

I saw her actually say that in an interview. It was at that point she felt she had to leave Epstein for good and said something like, "My womb is not for hire". It was quite chilling.

She did leave shortly afterwards, when she met her husband in Thailand. She telephoned Jeffrey to tell him she was going to marry. I wouldn't have bothered, I'd have just disappeared after the baby suggestion.

Social distancing was probably his friend there

And the intense focus on Harry and William and general sympathy for the Queen.

What decent person would sit by and do nothing and not report it

The nurses, hospital staff who knew J Saville was a weirdo molester.
The teachers/ nuns/ priests/ ?pope/ senior clergy - who knew some of their kind were child abusers and quietly moved them to a new post.

I suspect most of the angry brigade on here are anti-RF and wanting their pennyworth.

Ah, so it would make sense for it to be mostly his daughters around him at the funeral - and yes, the social distancing thing will have helped, as will the focus on William and Harry

Never mind though; at least he's still got Sarah to keep telling everyone how completely honourable he is

It is strange that Sarah has been praising him quite so vociferously. But then Epstein paid off some of her debts didn't he? So she's involved. FWIW I don't think Andrew was deliberately involved in anything illegal. I mean, it's inherently dodgy for a man in his 40s (?) to have had sex with a 17 year old but I can't see that he'd have known she was trafficked. Who knows though, he did travel on Epstein's plane which was apparently known as the 'Lolita express', visited his island, stated in the Emily Maitlis interview he didn't regret the friendship, invited him to one of his daughter's 18th birthday party after his arrest and visited him in NY after his conviction for soliciting a minor. So he's pretty appalling.

@Stircraazy

I expect you'd put me in the category of 'angry brigade'

You are incorrect. My sympathies are with the victims

I suspect most of the angry brigade on here are anti-RF

I think you have got things back to front.

The Queen’s apparent belief that Prince Andrew should still represent U.K. institutions is the reason why I think the RF should go.

@Stircraazy

What decent person would sit by and do nothing and not report it

The nurses, hospital staff who knew J Saville was a weirdo molester.
The teachers/ nuns/ priests/ ?pope/ senior clergy - who knew some of their kind were child abusers and quietly moved them to a new post.

I suspect most of the angry brigade on here are anti-RF and wanting their pennyworth.

I think Andrew's despicable but I don't agree with this all out attack on the Queen

It’s very misogynistic to blame the Queen for Andrew’s behaviour as a grown man.

@stairway

It’s very misogynistic to blame the Queen for Andrew’s behaviour as a grown man.

Exactly

It’s very misogynistic to blame the Queen for Andrew’s behaviour as a grown man

I'm not sure anyone's "blaming" her, so much as recognising the part she's played in enabling him

As you say, he's a grown man and makes his own choices ... and the Queen's a grown woman who's chosen to be very public about her ongoing support for, and rewarding of him

She’s keeping out of it, I’m not sure what you want her to do? Put him in the stocks in the tower if London? Make a public statement calling him a disgusting paedophile?

I dont think the Queen should be blamed for his behaviour. But as head of the firm she should have said something about his continuing association with Epstein. And previous behaviour concerning VG. Maybe she didnt know. Maybe she did say something and he ignored it. I dont suppose we will ever find out.

The Girl Cat ' No-one makes these things up.'

Sadly, they do. My gut feeling is that the several women bringing charges against GM are telling the truth, but obviously I don't know about the small details, and nothing has been proven yet.

However, not very long ago in this country a man made allegations of sexual abuse against several well-known men. I think he is in prison now, and I will need to look up what his exact crime was. It might have been wasting police time. I believe he is now regarded as having made completely false accusations and I think one of the accused died under a cloud, never knowing that he'd been cleared. I think the accuser was regarded very much as a victim at first but it turned out he was lying. That's why we shouldn't just jump to conclusions quickly that someone is or is not a victim.

Jury members need to be open-minded and listen carefully to all evidence, before leaping to conclusions. Have you ever done jury service?

It looks as though he’s on the run quite literally. It also looks like he’s trying to get off on any technicality, him hiding from being served with legal papers is pathetic and ridiculous.
Just shocking behaviour.