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.

I am not exactly sending you DMs @Nightlystroll I’m posting on a thread, sometimes in response to your posts. Maybe stop trying to make analogies that don’t work in this case and I can stop responding to your posts. In fact, that would be just lovely!

Its like one of these horror films. When somebody has to pass on a jinxed object and get the other person to take it personally. Not looking good.

@mathanxiety

To put it bluntly, either the process server or PA is lying. One has filed a sworn affidavit with the court.

Perhaps the process servers had to demonstrate all these attempts to satisfy the NY judge and the High Court that the High Court route was necessary.

In any case, it's happening.

The Royal Courts of Justice are facilitating service of sexual offence allegations upon the son of the Monarch.

Pissing off courts on both sides of the Atlantic then...

@Viviennemary

Its like one of these horror films. When somebody has to pass on a jinxed object and get the other person to take it personally. Not looking good.

In some states, the rule is that the papers have to make physical contact with the person, but he doesn't necessarily have to take them. You can literally just bounce them off him, and it's good. During a recent political debate in California, someone attempted to serve one of the candidates by yelling "You've been served!" and throwing the papers onto the stage. Not sure if that counted or not, but I find the whole thing darkly amusing.

www.cnn.com/2021/08/18/politics/california-recall-candidate-john-cox-subpoena/index.html

In New York, proper service can be, by any person and be by mail, to the residence, office or last known address, or by email, fax or in person. (Either to that person or a person in charge at one of the above).
I can only think that they have not chosen to post as they can challenge service if different postal providers are used. For example US Mail and Royal Mail. So they tried to serve in person. They could have served him through his lawyers, however I don’t believe that PA’s representation was known until after service had been attempted.
The Judge must have been satisfied that the person who was handed the papers, was not in charge at the time.
VG’s team did anything wrong, they certainly didn’t make a hash out of it.

I think this article explains the process well.

17th October appears to be the next date to watch out for.

The Manhattan judge Lewis A Kaplan listed the case for a further hearing on 17 October. He recommended both sides discuss the service of the case before the next hearing in order to get to the “substance” of the claim

This is really interesting Roussette. VG’s team really couldn’t have done anymore. It looks like PA is trying to claim no one told him?!
The debacle continues.

Is there a time limit on the serving of papers? I’m just wondering how long this could have gone on for?

Yes, judges normally set deadlines, and then try "alternative means of service" if the defendant RUNS AWAY oops Freudian capslock slip.

The US press sees it as a setback for PA.

www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/nyregion/prince-andrew-epstein-lawsuit.html

Ms. Giuffre’s lawyer, David Boies, said that the lawsuit was now likely to move along more quickly and that it was inevitable Andrew would have to answer Ms. Giuffre’s claim in New York.

“Further delaying tactics I don’t think will serve him well,” Mr. Boies said in an interview, adding that even if the prince managed to delay the case for a month or two, it would not help him and would only focus more attention on the matter.

“Refusing to accept service, ducking service, hiding in the palace just makes him look bad,” Mr. Boies said. “I don’t understand sort of what playbook they’re using.”

I notice the Mail have some pap shots of PA in the grounds of Balmoral ( and he doesn’t look too happy about it), looks like the gloves are off as far as the press are concerned.

Yes I saw those on a feed. He certainly looks angry and rather more portly than before

What's all this nonsense about him remarrying SF? She has certainly stood by him, that's for sure. I just wondered if it was a normal DM made up piece

The only reason I can think of for them to remarry possibly is that as his wife she couldn’t be compelled to give evidence against him ( not sure if this applies in the USA as it does in UK?)

@OverByYer

I notice the Mail have some pap shots of PA in the grounds of Balmoral ( and he doesn’t look too happy about it), looks like the gloves are off as far as the press are concerned.

I've just browsed the news and saw those. I didn't realise the press were allowed on private ground. I know they have long range lens but he did look as though he was near them, telling them where to go.

I fail to see how pictures of him outside in a normal setting achieve anything about this case. We'd hear if he died or something and we know where he is currently so it's a pointless exercise.

That's the nature of the paps surely?
That's what they do, as anyone famous who has been mired in controversy will tell you

“Further delaying tactics I don’t think will serve him well,” Mr. Boies said in an interview, adding that even if the prince managed to delay the case for a month or two, it would not help him and would only focus more attention on the matter.

If he delays for two months, that gets us to Ghislaine Maxwell's trial in November. And that WILL be big news, in real time. And that's the backdrop against which Andrew and his protective family will be perceived.

If he carries on like this with the delaying tactics it just looks worse and worse for a self-described 'too honourable' man. If he re-marries SF for legal gain, well, the optics aren't too good on that one.

Is no-one advising them on this? It's extraordinary.

Paparazzi have long powerful camera lenses that can photograph up to a kilometre away, apparently, well off private property but very intrusive. So technically legal but against the agreed UK 'code'.

If the gloves are off with Andrew in the UK, that's a new and significant development, isn't it?

(I haven't looked at the pictures yet.)

QE2 is an utter disgrace for shielding him. Yes he is her son but she needs to be seen to be supporting the justice system.

I'm no fan of M&H but at least they are highlighting a number of things in the Royal Family. it's about time the rest of that useless family came under scrutiny.

@SpindleWhorl

Paparazzi have long powerful camera lenses that can photograph up to a kilometre away, apparently, well off private property but very intrusive. So technically legal but against the agreed UK 'code'.

If the gloves are off with Andrew in the UK, that's a new and significant development, isn't it?

(I haven't looked at the pictures yet.)

That’s how it seems to me. Looks like the press don’t give two hoots about his privacy/ the fact he’s on private property. The press know he’s in it up to his neck so are happy to flout the rules / agreement. The press doing this just reinforces the message that no one is above the law and this isn’t going to go away.

@SpindleWhorl

“Further delaying tactics I don’t think will serve him well,” Mr. Boies said in an interview, adding that even if the prince managed to delay the case for a month or two, it would not help him and would only focus more attention on the matter.

If he delays for two months, that gets us to Ghislaine Maxwell's trial in November. And that WILL be big news, in real time. And that's the backdrop against which Andrew and his protective family will be perceived.

If he carries on like this with the delaying tactics it just looks worse and worse for a self-described 'too honourable' man. If he re-marries SF for legal gain, well, the optics aren't too good on that one.

Is no-one advising them on this? It's extraordinary.

Difficult to tell given what we have learned recently about the competence of other Royal advisors.

Is there a possibility that he could be asked to give evidence in the Maxwell case?

@OliviaBean

QE2 is an utter disgrace for shielding him. Yes he is her son but she needs to be seen to be supporting the justice system.

I'm no fan of M&H but at least they are highlighting a number of things in the Royal Family. it's about time the rest of that useless family came under scrutiny.

I don't get how the Queen is 'shielding' Prince Andrew. She has said nothing publicly (goodness knows what she says privately). He is entitled to live and stay on crown property.

The law will deal with him, there's no need for his family to chime in on it.

If he is called as a witness, it looks like he may have to attend or at least participate

www.finnegan.com/en/insights/blogs/european-ip-blog/how-can-a-uk-witness-be-made-to-testify-in-us-legal-proceedings.html

Come off it Plumtree, fleeing to Balmoral is the royal equivalent of climbing out the back window when Can't Pay Won't Pay arrive.

"Andrew, you've been a very naughty boy. Mummy's not going to let you shoot any more grouse until you take the envelope from the man and see what's in it", said the queen never.

The law will deal with him, there's no need for his family to chime in on it.

I don’t think it’s quite that simple, although I don’t think their comments would improve the situation, particularly from a legal standpoint.

The whole concept of Royalty depends on the belief that calling somebody ‘your royal highness’ means something. Everything from our courts to our post boxes reference the Queen.

Without any proper power, their role is to represent an ideal of duty and service. (No sniggering at the back - it’s what most people say they admire about the Queen).

I don’t think you can have the status of Royalty and also be expected to be treated like just another private citizen. The law will obviously take its course, but you can’t have people standing up on Remembrance Sunday representing the armed services on the basis that they weren’t technically found guilty of anything.

And it’s not just the formal state occasions. You can’t really separate the Queen’s speech from pictures of the family attending church on Christmas Day. They are both an integral part of the institution.