A Very Royal Scandal (Amazon Prime)

[MrsLeonFarrell]

Apologies if there is a thread about this.

I haven't watched Scoop, because Netflix won't work on my old TV box so I have no idea how this compares. I watched all 3 episodes and found it bizarre. I did like that it didn't include any royals outside the York family.

What struck me the most was how sheltered Andrew's team must have been to think him doing an interview was a good idea. I'm just a member of the public and I wouldn't have advised him to speak for himself going only by what I read about him before Epstein was even heard of. Why on earth would anyone advise him to do this? Why did they think it had gone well? And why has he not just retired out of the public view and accepted there is no way back.

The arrogance of some people is astounding. I don't even think it's a royal thing but more a monied sense of entitlement, although ironically he didn't seem to have much money.

Anyone else seen it?

Absolutely. When the late Queen died he couldn't wait to hog a microphone. I wager a lot of money that he still thinks he has a right to be a working member of the family and cannot believe that it will never happen.

He also allegedly got a military uniform measured up for his father's funeral before being told he couldn't wear it. Who's first thought on the death of their father is ' Oh, I just have to get a new dress uniform made for his funeral'?

Wasn't the uniform thing some kind of fudge to avoid embarrassing Harold or have I made that up? 😁

Anyways. Charmless would have worn an entirely undeserved birthday gift vice admiral's rig. Thankfully the full rank (also an automatic birthday boost) was withheld.

I've been wondering if the then Prime Minister influenced Queen Elizabeth's actions at all regarding Andrew?

There were two key occasions, from what I can ascertain:

1 The fall-out from the Newsnight interview broadcast in mid November 2019, when Andrew announced he would step back from royal duties 'for the foreseeable future' four days after the interview;

2 The taking away of Andrew's military roles, royal patronages and use of 'HRH' title in mid January 2022 after Virginia Giuffre lodged her lawsuit.

Excuse my lack of knowledge but is anyone aware of anything written anywhere that might shed some light? Was QE2 persuaded by Johnson to lean on golden-balls and actually do something? (With Johnson presumably being leaned on himself by advisors to mention it to her, given the continuing fall-out including from media, public and senior military?)

I don't think Johnson did anything, he strikes me as the same kind of man as Andrew anyway, not the underage aspect but the arrogance and misogyny.

The people who I believed did sit the Queen down and insist she strip Andrew of his patronages were Charles and William.

Both of them were allowed to wear their uniforms when taking part in the children/ grand children's vigil. I agree that Andrew probably was allowed because they were trying to be kind to Harry and couldn't let one way a uniform without the other.

Even today I reckon that Andrew would have no shame in turning up in full uniform at an event. He still obviously thinks he did nothing wrong and it is his right to be a working royal.

Yes but if you say Harry isn't allowed to wear his uniform because he's left the Royal Family then Andrew can't wear his uniform either. I suspect the 'embarrassing Harold' was more the press, who see Harry's actions against them as being 200x worse than Andrew associating with rich and powerful men who think nothing of abusing young poor women.

Both Andrew and Harry were permitted to wear uniforms to take place in vigils with their siblings/cousins respectively during the Queen’s lying in state. Otherwise during the funeral events both wore suits with their medals.

I can well imagine there were some heated conversations behind the scenes over this issue! Probably both Harry and Andrew had strong feelings about it. Given both had served in active combat in their time in the military (Andrew the Falklands war and Harry Afghanistan) I thought the concession was a reasonable and understandable compromise. But generally, people who have served in the military are quite well aware that rules are rules, I would have thought.

There was also however a story that Harry still wasn’t satisfied with being allowed to wear a uniform for his grandchildren’s vigil, he was fuming because William’s uniform was fancier than his (sounds familiar!).

At the time of QEII’s death William had been appointed one her personal aides de camp. Along with an ER cipher on the epaulette, aides de camp also wear fancy gold braid looped over their right shoulder.

This is part of dress uniform for William - in short, he always wears it, no matter which service he is representing. He wore it on his uniform when marching behind the Queens coffin when it was taken to Westminster Hall for the lying in state. His father, aunt and uncles were all wearing it for their vigil on Friday. He wore it for the Queen’s funeral (see the photo below). But William wasn’t wearing it for the grandchildrens’ vigil (again, see photo). The Telegraph and Times reported that he took it off to appease Harry who was said to be angry that his uniform no longer had the insignia of the aide de camp role he had given up when he left the UK.

Yes but if you say Harry isn't allowed to wear his uniform because he's left the Royal Family then Andrew can't wear his uniform either.

I think this was the heart of the dilemma.

If either had been permitted dress-up, the other would have kicked off. Also the funeral was around the time the Megxit deal was originally supposed to be reviewed so I suspect there was an element of trying to keep Henry mollified there.

In the event the entire family went in civvies which was probably the best compromise.

Interesting that Imdb gives it 7.2 out of 10 and I tend to agree with this. There are some interesting user reviews including one that said a lot of it was filmed a bit in the dark, I thought it was just me!

I do wonder if the York family ever indulge in a bit of self reflection of the sort... two series now mainstream about the Epstein connection with my father, exhusband... will this ever die down....
Personally, I think not. It was indeed 'A very royal scandal'.

I wish I could feel sorry for the daughters, I just don't. They were part and parcel of it all.

I seem to recall reading reports saying Michael Sheen wasn't commenting on whether he believed DoY or not. Went looking for them and found this nonsense:

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/tv/prince-andrew-reacts-very-royal-33726669

Apparently York thinks the drama has sunk without trace and 'Scoop' portrayed him in a more flattering light.

Still minimising, Still deluded 🙄

So Andrew hasn't watched it... haha pull the other one! He is so vain and ego driven, bet he has, especially as Michael Sheen playing him looked far more handsome than Andrew's ugly mug.

I read somewhere that Michael Sheen's interpretation was Richard III meets Alan Partridge. And the Scoop Rufus Sewell interpretation was based on David Brent.
Love it!

Buckingham Palace 'let down Prince Andrew', says close friend www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13953841/Buckingham-Palace-Prince-Andrew-sex-abuse-allegations.html?ito=native_share_article-nativemenubutton

The Mail online this morning.

If the closer friend is really a top libel lawyer I don't see how. Did he really think this would help Andrew?

I would imagine anyone still a ' close friend' if Andrew is fairly similar to him so doesn't think he's done anything wrong.

Well.

That just looks like all kinds of desperate.

I wonder if it has anything at all to do with the ongoing rumblings on downgrading the gaffe?

Charmless after all undoubtedly knows where a fair few bodies are buried...

In any comparison of bodies, I would bet he has far more to conceal. Which is his problem, and it is what he deserves.

But yes, he seems to be pulling out all the stops to stay out, ultimately though I think he'll fail.

Apparently when the RF were wargaming Harry's book, they were concerned about 100 possible revelations he could have made. My family are a bit nuts but I doubt I could think of 100 scandals I'd want to keep secret! This was from press that is favourable to the RF but when trying to stick it to Harry revealed that the RF have that many secrets they were worried about Harry revealing. So I'd imagine Andrew would be part of some of those, but if they were all Andrew it would be fine. Also they must know that Harry and Eugenie were close so the likelihood of him slagging off Andrew was remote.

Yep, disappointingly all H had to say about Uncle Andrew was how unfair it was for him (H) that even someone accused of sexual assault got better security than him.

So H made it all about him. And only said that Andrew was accused, and no more.

In any comparison of bodies, I would bet he has far more to conceal.

I agree.

Makes it extra infuriating that the trade envoy papers have been sealed 😡

Yes, from the rumours he was a total liability.

Thete are going to be a lot of revelations revealed that whoever comes after George ( if the monarchy lasts that long ) is going to have to deal with. Are they just hoping whoever it is will just be able to say ' this is ancient history/ a long time ago/ things are different now' etc?

TBH I'm hoping Willy will be our last 'king'.

Fred is doing a great job of kicking scandals and prodigals down the road but it can't last forever.

I do think they think only historians will be interested when the shit finally hits the fan.

I suspect it will limp on until George. William is massively lazy. He lives off the goodwill of his wife and being 'not Harry'. Once people are bored with the Harry/Meghan drama he will have the spotlight shone back on him.

Yes, and let's hope that's sooner rather than later