Andrew. Again.

[MrsLeonFarrell]

BBC News - Questions over Andrew's judgement and finances raised again
www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx26q9d42g1o

At this point I think we really have to ask when he has ever displayed good judgement. Thank goodness he isn't a working royal anymore.

Andrew needs to retire gracefully and stay out of the public eye. I feel sorry for his daughters though, who seem to be as normal as someone in the royal family can be normal. They’re between a rock and a hard place as they can’t support the king as he’s the one trying to get rid of Andrew.

I have little sympathy for the daughters, they were happy enough to take diamonds and money from dubious sources via their father

@Extiainoiapeial Naivety isn’t a sign of complicity

Quite

They may of course be innocent of any personal motives or then again they may not, but I wouldn't take anything on trust with the Yorks

As for Andrew "can't" do the Christmas Day walk, I'm not sure there's any such thing as can't where the RF are concerned - and providing it doesn't bring unwelcome consequences does anyone imagine they care what people think?

The BBC are now reporting that Andrew will not be joining the Royal family for Christmas.

The Mail at that the King asked Sarah to speak to Andrew because he listens to her. Not sure if that is true but at least he won't be there strutting along.

The BBC's quoting "sources" rather than naming them, MrsLF, so personally I'm still with the "let's wait and see"

In other news I see Andrew's Chinese pal's now been named: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c4gl804j8gjt

I agree that it's not certain but the BBC tend to only put it in the news if its fairly certain. If it was just the Mail I'd assume a complete rumour.

I am really really hoping he won't go so may be being optimistic.

Loving the fact that the BBC are using footage from the Matlis interview in the background while they talk about Andrew, the spy and Christmas.

Yes that made me smile too, MrsLF, but going back to whether or not Andrew joins the RF at Christmas, what does it actually change?

He'll still be the same entitled oaf who's been enabled far too much and too often, and I doubt he personally got rid of the records which are said to have disappeared, so apart from the PR value of keeping him temporarily away it's hard to see how the rest will have learned anything at all

I wouldn't describe Charles as enabling him but he does need to be tougher. I wonder if he is being too kind because he doesn't want to upset his nieces, although surely at this point they must know what their father is.

I don't think we will ever get to the point where there is not some embarrassing minor royal that the working royals struggle to know how to deal with. It's just families.

Well when you read about the contacts this spy guy has made over the years and the person he was in business with, a tour of Windsor Castle or wherever by Prince Andrew looks to be pretty small fry in the overall scheme of things.

It is ultimately better for the RF not to condone Andrews many nefarious friendships.

BBC has two similar stories on their website

One time stamped at 16:20 has Palace sources confirming that he won’t be at Sandringham

Another time stamped at 16:25 says ‘Palace sources say there is a hope that the Duke of York will "honourably withdraw” from all family events this year to avoid being a distraction’

Fergie to spend Christmas with Andrew

York princesses will be with their respective in laws (first time for them, but others of their generation have done that from time to time)

So, they can't even be arsed to ask why their bank account suddenly has £200,000 plopped into it.

ITV news just said it had been “announced” that neither Andrew nor Fergie will join the royal family at sandringham this year which sounds fairly concrete.

Charles isn’t going all out on him, but he’s certainly not getting the easy ride his mother gave him.

I wonder if this is the start of the filtering out of the ‘non working’ relatives from Christmas. Especially if others such as Camilla’s children and grandchildren and Catherine’s family joining them in the way Sophie’s father has on many occasions. Even sandringham has a space limit around the table!

Quite. If I was behaving like that I'd expect to be investigated by my bank for money-laundering. What with being an adult and all.

Why do the York adult daughters get treated by some like they're innocent, dear, poor gels?

One was apparently instrumental in Andrew's misjudged and disastrous BBC interview, both have allegedly been in possession of monies and/or assets received from their father's (and mother's?) dodgy contacts, and one or possibly both are mates with Piers Morgan who can't stand their supposedly beloved cousin Harry and broadcasts regularly about that antipathy. It just gets curiouser and curiouser. They are part of a family that collectively has embarrassed the monarchy while still sucking at the monarch's teat, and I don't know how they get away with it. The Yorks are a walking advert for republicanism.

Charles isn’t going all out on him ...

Again, I doubt he can afford to @ARichtGoodDram; after all what's he going to say?

"You supported a known paedophile" and risk being reminded of Peter Ball?
"You accepted dubious money" and be told he did the same with cash-stuffed carrier bags?
"You consort with very unpleasant people" only to have it pointed out he viewed Savile as a suitable source of marriage guidance?
"You treated royal assets with disrespect" and then be asked why Fawcett felt able to flog royal gifts?

And these are just things the public know about, whereas Andrew may well know far more

Will be interesting to see how William manages Uncle Andrew. There is an uncle Andrew in most families i should imagine.

Indeed. I'm no fan of Andrew but the BBC news showed photos of the Chinese man with David Cameron and Theresa May. Will they also be investigated? Surely MI5/6 should have been warning government members/the royal family against this person.

That'll all depend on the circumstances under which they met. Being one of ,many people at a reception or whatever, who barely exchanged a word though did get near enough for a picture is very different to someone who was schmoozing and spending time.

I expect the investigation has been going on for a while, and the PMs' staff would have checked diaries and notes to establish if there were more than transient contact.

The risk isn't really from contacts to such senior figures as the PM. It's to the developing contacts with the middling officials and junior MPs. For if they can be groomed now when no-one would really notice, then they may well be very valuable to the Chinese in future years as their influence and responsibility grows.

Quick Google on Sophie will show she was at the old 'cash for access' stuff too

I'd also hope that our security and intelligence services would be working as many counter moves as they can to spot foreign surveillance.

There was obviously a period of time where they were watching this particular Chinese national because they confiscated his electronic devices a while before banning him from the county.

If I was in MI5 I'd do a deep dive immediately on anyone trying to get close the royal family - particularly the more desperate members. In fact, that might be how Andrew could make himself useful for the country - bait for a spy sting.

She wasn’t. That was her business partner at the time.

Sophie’s fuck up was the fake Sheik

Yes. Once. She was immediately told that working was not going to be viable because it left her open to this kind of thing. She stopped commercial work and spent years quietly building up a reputation of service in areas like violence against women, which don't get enough publicity.

She made a mistake and learnt from it. Equating her with Andrew is really unfair.

Remember Peter Philips and his ad for Jersey milk which was broadcast on Chinese state tv..

Sophie was in PR and marketing which is an industry that completely revolves around favours, and networking smarm. I was PR adjacent in my main career and was always astonished at the huge budget even the small PR firms had for schmoozing and gifting things to contacts.

I did a very very small favour to one person - gave them some advice on an issue, took about an hour of my time - they sent an expensive gift basket every Christmas for the next ten years! I assume just in case I might be useful again in the future. I found it a bit embarrassing as it seems so excessive - still drank the champagne and ate the chocolate covered strawberries though!

And I am a nobody, with no influence or serious connections. I can't imagine what the Christmas gift basket contains for those with real influence - front row seats at Hamilton and a Barbados spa holiday probably.