Prince Andrew BACK in the royal fold

[tatalan]

How do you feel about this development?

the RF above all are surrounded by advisors and aides whose job it is to ensure that their principals do not get involved with the wrong people. Either they failed in their job or they were ignored,

This 100%

Andrew insists in the interview he did not have a clue that Epstein had an arrest warrant issued in 2006 for sexual assault of a minor, before it really blew up He said "you see this is the problem is that an awful lot of this was going on in the United States and I wasn't a party to it and I knew nothing about it."

Pathetic. His staff could've found out about it. After this he carried on and invited Epstein, Maxwell and Weinstein to Beatrice's 18th at Windsor Castle.

You really couldn't make it up...

They have the best of the best to advise them. Personal Secretaries, Aides, Comms people, Publicity people... yet they just put their foot in it time and time again. It's bloody weird

I agree completely, Roussette, but then what are all these staff supposed to do faced with a family who are beyond the rules and expectations that apply to others? I put it like that rather than "they believe they're beyond ..." because that's simply a fact in light of the secrecy deals they've been allowed to secure

As I've also said before the whipping boy lives, in that it might suit the family to ignore their advisers but they come in extremely useful as someone to blame when things go wrong

Andrew insists in the interview he did not have a clue that Epstein had an arrest warrant issued in 2006 for sexual assault of a minor ...

Probably his "tendency to be too honourable" at work again, Roussette
After all, even if staff had warned him, a man so principled may have struggled to believe such horrors were possible?

I'm only waiting for that one to be produced in the unlikely event he ever submits to another interview

Very true puzzled.

Apparently Andrew's aides tried to advise him on various matters but he used to tell them to fuck off and the only person he would answer to was his Mother the Queen.

I agree they are beyond rules and expectations and actually answerable to no one.

I bet they get through a lot of aides, Comms people, Private secretaries who try and bring order and good optics to what they do. I'd love to know more about staff turnover, I really would.

Haha puzzled there was talk about another interview, it was probably made up media crap, but given I remember the first one, with my mouth hanging open, and whatsapping my best friend back and forth saying 'OMG are you watching this its gobsmacking!', I'd love to see another one!

I'll make do with Scoop next year, a stellar cast!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoop_(upcoming_film)

I just don't know how people can't see through the PR around this family. For example Camilla is now talked about like she's a national treasure but that's the result of a very expensive PR campaign on Charles's part! Granted she seems to be genuinely interested in the causes she espouses, but if not for the spin doctors turning around her image she and Charles may not have married.

And that's just one example!

Your money would be secure on that one Roussette, since while formal stats may be missing the ceaseless departures are usually noted, generally after something's happened which risks the principals being seen in a bad light

Just about the only major figure I can think of who lasted was Fawcett ... say no more

Rufus Sewell is unrecognisable! And alas the most unattractive he's ever been!! No idea who the Epstein actor is but he's a dead ringer.

It's going to be a corker

Here is Emily Maitlis on the left with Gillian Anderson who will be playing her on the right

By heck they've got some amazing lookalikes there - and yes, the Epstein actor's uncanny

I just hope he doesn't get problems in everyday life looking like that; of course Epstein's dead, but some folk can be weird

I absolutely cannot believe Andrews expensive lawyers advised him that slut shaming a victim of sex trafficking was a good way to get out of his lawsuit either. They were absolutely stupid to do that, and it ended in the humiliation of Andrew being forced to publicly apologise to her and all victims of Epstein under court order, as well as paying out the money. I absolutely can believe that Andrew refused to listen to their advice and thought he knew better than them. To be honest, they allegedly pay terribly believing the 'privilege ' of working for them is enough, dont follow advice given and then expect them to act as fall guys when it all goes pear shaped. Why would you choose to work for them?

Why would you choose to work for them?

It's a very valid question, though I'm told "it looks good on a CV"

Never ask me why though - unless it signals being able to work under appalling circumstances while still maintaining a smile?

The royal households don't pay well so it's not for the salary! But I'm guessing a year or two there opens doors to more prestigious or better paid roles.

Yes, and some bounce back between Government special advisor jobs to RF jobs.

Simon Case springs to mind, Head of civil service, right in the middle of partygate, he escaped from that and is William's Private Secretary.

https://www.politico.eu/article/cabinet-secretary-simon-case-british-civil-service-spy-chief-prince-harry-william-royals-spare/

Has he been reappointed as William's secretary. I thought that was before the Cabinet Office job and I thought that Case was still Head of Civil Service or whatever title and that Prince William's secretary was now somebody called Grey. Hard to keep up though.

Apologies, yes, you are correct. He is now Head of the Civil Service.

How he escaped from Partygate god alone knows given the whatsapps between him and Matt Hancock

Friends in high places @Roussette?

@Angrycat2768
"Andrew being forced to publicly apologise to her and all victims of Epstein under court order,"
I thought it was settled out of court.
Originally, both Andrew and Ms Guiffre wanted to go to court, but P. Andrew's lawyers asked for the original photograph, which the other side could not produce. I knew then that the case would be settled. I think there was lots of pressure on P. Andrew from others in the RF.

It was, but part of the settlement was that he had to apologise

I knew then that the case would be settled. I think there was lots of pressure on P. Andrew from others in the RF.

Also, neither side would have wanted to put their client in the witness stand to be cross-examined. Both Andrew and Viriginia Giuffre would almost certainly have come out very badly.

Mmmm. VG comes across as quite resilient and savvy to me. And whenever I have seen (admittedly snippets) of her being interviewed on the tv news, she comes across much better than PA, despite not benefiting from an expensive Gordonstoun education.

I know court testimony is a different kettle of fish entirely, but if you are implying that VG did not have much of a case, then I would have to disagree, largely because people in positions of privilege like Prince Andrew, don’t hand over £12 million to others for absolutely no reason at all!

Virginia Guffre may very well be resilient and savvy, but she’d given a few interviews and been deposed a couple of times and made several completely inconsistent statements in the course of those. Just like Andrew’s tv interview, this is absolute fodder for a damaging cross-examination.

Plus, by the time her case against Andrew came to trial, she would have withdrawn her lawsuit against Alan Dershowitz with the exceptionally damaging admissions that she must have been mistaken about him having sex with her.

I agree that the Dershowitz accusation was not good for the credibility of VG, and I have no particular knowledge of the Dershowitz accusation other than what I have read in the Washington Post, which implies that VG and her case, when she was at a very young age, became embroiled in a longstanding animosity between Dershowitz and the representative of another powerful Washington law firm. And even Dershowitz himself said that VG, when she accused him, genuinely believed him to be guilty. I don't think it makes her case about PA any less credible tbh. As I said, I don't think anyone is likely to pay out 12 million for no reason at all.

Of course you are right @Itstimeforlunch707
Its revolting how some ( women mainly) attempt to victim blame in order to try to deflect from Andrew and the other ‘royals’ and their association with pedophiles and sex offenders

Agreed.