I have pre-ordered Andrew Lownie's Book (out I think 14th August) A thread for those interested in "Entitled"

[BasiliskStare]

So for those interested in this book about the Yorks. I will read it and interested to hear from others who have or to give an opinion.

No spitting , no gouging 😂

I do feel a little sorry for Charles (some of you will know how hard that is for me!) It’s likely that he was a disappointment to his father, and then for two father figures to have been found so wanting must have been very difficult for him.

The Philip book is the one that couldn’t have been published when the Queen was alive I suppose.

So Andrew was eight when he was first abused. That poor boy. Honestly, a lot of things make sense now. But I agree that it’s information that he should’ve shared himself when (if) he was ready, as Diana’s brother did, along with famous people like Jennette McCurdy and Alan Davies.

Is anyone watching the channel 5 programme on at the moment?

Charles Spencer’s 60 years old now, I think? He was abused at Maidwell Hall prep school, he says, from the age of 11 (prior to Eton from 13+).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68522408

He also says in another article that it ‘opened the floodgates’ to other men coming forward about staff and the prefects involved - ie those inured to the abuse.

Spent last night and today reading about PA and SF making money off of many many deals. Charities registered in Delaware! So many many charities. So much much money. All apparently pissed away.

Interesting split of people who think PA is rude, dull, and entitled, and some who think he is a natural salesman. Lownie has named names and or given jobs for these people. At some point, an American exec commented that they now understood the American Revolution. I'm understanding the French Revolution.

Autopsy results for Epstein apparently not consistent with suicide.

Just started Virginia Giuffre's lawsuit. Someone suggested that PA lay low and do charity work in Africa to redeem his reputation!!!

I've finished the book, and my first thought is that it's just not very well written. It just rattles through chronologically, chucking "facts" at the reader, without much analysis and no proper footnotes. So we really don't know where a lot of these "facts" come from.

Most of the scandalous stuff has already been in the Press, so it's really about the cumulative effect of all of the financial and sexual wrongdoing that is just exhausting. Really sticking the knife into Sarah re her spending - it's almost like n illness with her.

There is a little bit of compassion for two seemingly quite damaged people - lots of references to Andrew having no friends and being lonely.
Sarah very damaged by her childhood, and therefore being needy and constantly seeking affection.

Whilst it all leaves rather a nasty taste, I don't think it will "bring down the monarchy", as has been suggested.

I wasn’t very impressed hearing the author speak on the channel 5 doc tonight. He doesn’t come across well.

Really? I am halfway through and think he is pretty good. This aside, the programme is pretty damning.

I wonder if the background wallpaper to all this is the fact that the royal family and aligned aristocracy are in their own way habituated to the prevalence of the sexual abuse of children as well as a bit of financial corruption?

To paraphrase John Major, has there been an inurement to abuse cascading down the generations?

It’s a bit of a head-spinner, in a pretty awful way.

He is providing information, descriptions, and names. My impression is that PA and SF spent all their time smoozing people for money, and then spending the money. Both hyper aware of their titles. Both obsessed with relationships and sex. The sheer volume of decades of this is overwhelming.

HMTLQ comes across as an enabler. It is clear she favored PA.

What is very upsetting is PA's connections to foreign spies. Money was more important to him than anything.

I find the book well-written and well-researched. It's just the two main subjects come across as extremely venal. It's emotionally exhausting.

I saw today that as well as having his history degree and archives training, Andrew Lownie also used to be a barrister.

Yes it really was very damning . I didn’t learn much that was new though. I’ve ordered the book from the library.

I've only read the first few chapters, covering childhood, but so far I feel quite sorry for Fergie - her upbringing was so sad with her DM running off to Argentina and leaving her and her sister behind. As for Andrew - the early chapters about him made me think that nowadays he'd probably be diagnosed with ADHD.

Has anyone read AL’s Mountbatten book ?
If so, was there a mention of Kincora in it ?

Charities registered in Delaware!

Now that is a fascinating detail.

If ducking and diving Uncle were to have given Harold a bit of a heads up on how to go about this, might it go some way to explaining the gloves-off approach in all the other mud slinging since the flounce?

Pure speculation of course 🤔

I wasn’t very impressed hearing the author speak on the channel 5 doc tonight. He doesn’t come across well.

Thanks for this.

I will watch on catchup.

There was a C5 doc asking where all the York money went not so long ago and another one (I think. Might be the same one 🙃) on the Yorks more recently if anyone missed them.

Oh yes.

The Mountbattens were utterly dissolute at home as well, and that’s also covered. I cannot imagine how Prince Philip as a child avoided knowledge of at least some of it.

As regards Mountbatten and the Kincora boys, on whom he allegedly acted out certain of his fetishes, it’s just sickening how powerless they were made by such powerful men.

(Even more sickeningly perhaps, Mountbatten supposedly was sad and played the victim of his own feelings during the abuse sessions.)

m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mountbatten-biographer-appeals-to-garda-chief-harris-for-his-help-in-uncovering-secret-kincora-papers/38493136.html

Yes, I watched that and agree

Mostly, though, it was very noticeable that there was no reference to the alleged child abuse ... too much for the programme makers to risk perhaps, especially when AFAIK Lownie's offered no named sources?

I have finished the audiobook. I suspect there will be more to come out on the financial side. I wasn't surprised by any of the sleaze. Pretty shocking all round though.
There didn't seem to be a moral compass in sight.

Only read a little yet but so far - I feel more sorry for both of them than I expected to. I think life in the royal family with the pressures it brings and all of the expectations and rules is actually quite cruel. I think Lowndes has been quite balanced between the people he is quoting. Its a shame it did not work with Koo Stark who sounds like she was lovely.

Andrew Lownie has said that so many people have now come forward with information about Andrew that the book will have to be ‘substantially rewritten’. Andrew is royally f&@ked.

https://archive.ph/OMW09

Looks like Lownie is not satisfied with one kicking, he wants to go in for another, a bit like his Rugby playing days. This whole thing comes across as a personal grudge and a money making exercise. I’m totally off the guy since he made that disclosure about PA childhood.

The amazing and astonishing thing that's happened since Entitled came out is that people have come forward in droves with more stories to tell about Prince Andrew,' he said. 'Those who felt they couldn't speak to me before have now changed their mind or have realised they've been covering things up for him out of misplaced loyalty.
'A lot of respectable people who declined to be involved in the book are now coming forward, keen to unload the secrets they've been keeping for all these years.

'So my Andrew book is going to have to be substantially rewritten from start to finish. It will be an entirely new book, not just a few new chapters, and I'll get it done in time for the paperback release next summer. I think my book really broke the inertia surrounding Prince Andrew.'

🙄🙄 💰 💰

I’m sure that experience was one which created a bond with Diana. In both cases I think their fathers were very difficult men and I don’t think Diana’s mother was “allowed” custody or even access to the children after she’d left.

@IAmATorturedPoet

i know what you mean.

One part of my brain agrees that PA is vile and it’s good that all this has come out.

But there’s a bit which also finds Lownie distasteful and I can’t quite put my finger on why. I think it’s that he’s presenting the book as serious journalism but also relishing the excitement and scandal created by the gossip and rather licking his lips at the prospect of more to come. Strictly speaking, we don’t need to hear any more if Lownie is really claiming he’s published for the public good, but of course he’s seeing more pound signs!

Didn’t Diana’s own mother testify against her?