Andrew - continuing his effort to end the Monarchy

[TheHaplessWit]

Another new story on Andrew today. Photo's have emerged showing that on Epstein's desk, there were emails regarding Epstein paying debts owed by Andrew/Sarah to staff:

https://people.com/epstein-had-emails-staff-ex-prince-andrew-sarah-ferguson-new-photos-show-11880419

Why on Earth was a Prince of England having his staff paid by a sex trafficker?
Doesn't seem "too honourable" to me.

I’m reading it now. They are both awful. Actually still through sexism Andrew gets a much softer ride in the book but even with that they are both appalling.

The other thing that is very obvious it is that the dynamics Harry spoke about with such a strong emphasis in the family on security and the relationship with the awful manipulation of the press by the palace is emphasised too even in a book that is about slating them.

Sarah and Andrew had panic rooms built in their home and paid security even when abroad for Sarah after they split (I presume ostensibly for her daughters but then Harry’s children are now at the same level as they would have been) and security was a big issue for them personally, so no wonder Harry had the misguided impression he’d get it too.

I have no sympathy for him, but that hasn’t been proven. And they are effectively building him a prison at Sandrinhham. An opulent prison, but he’s not going to be able to get out and about much is he.

He still manages to get out and about. He will go to Portugal to see Eugenie, he will travel but obviously not to the US.
He will have staff, apparently he has said he wants a cook, admin staff, gardeners, butler, driver, security staff, housekeeper.... He will be costing hundreds of thousands, and we will never know who pays for that.

I don’t think there was any doubt that the daughters would attend Sandringham at Christmas. Their father was, and is, desperate for them to still be ‘blood princesses’ so probably encouraged them. This is their USP for making money, if they don’t trade on their status, they have little to offer. I believe Beatrice is married to a rich man, don’t know how loaded Eugenie’s husband is.

william is going to have to be very canny when he inherits, the royal family apparently are of little interest to many young people. I think we should retain a Monarchy (look at the alternatives in other countries!) but he will need to slim it right down.

Yes, I agree Andrew would've encouraged them, they could've said no. We are lying low for a while after what this family has done. But no... front and centre of the royal family as usual.
I have DCs the same age, they would not be so compliant (if this comes from him)

I look forward to his ordinary shooting weekends - so, come on, of course I took eye off ball & other gems. Someone could egg him on so we have pure, golden saitire…

I don’t think there was any doubt that the daughters would attend Sandringham at Christmas.

I agree.

They both know which side their bread's buttered and will be eager to hang on to the undeserved perks like the use of royal properties they still have.

he will need to slim it right down.

I think it's highly unlikely W will slim it down any more than Papa has.
All the indications are that he intends to do less work with less transparency while screwing as much money as he can out of the role.

I'm currently reading 'Norman Baker's Royal Mint, National Debt' and was quite taken aback to see W refused to release the details of his wedding gifts.

Talk about a straw in the wind...

@crimsonstoat thanks for letting me/us know Lownie writing a book on Prince P apparently next.

On the other thread we were beginning to discuss whether PP alleged affairs & Queen’s apparently looking the other way influenced his character. PA being sent to a prostitute at 11 mat have been the norm in their circles then NB: Earl Spencer too & clearly has damaged both.

How can an adulterer be head of Church of England? Do as I say but not as I do again.

I agree... the book on Royal finances is an eye opener and I'm only halfway through. So much greed and avarice it's untrue.

And I just do not understand why so many people turn a blind eye to it. As long as they see a tiara here and there, a state banquet, Kate in a great outfit... they're happy. No questioning of anything. I find it utterly bizarre.

And yes I agree with a PP. They are a dysfunctional family totally.

Thank you to @AnnunciataM for directing us here for continued discussions on Andrew and the Monarchy in general. (another thread has just filled)

The allocation of funds seems to be a major issue within the family. I certainly wouldn’t like my annual income determined by my brother! Especially if I had fallen out with my sil too!

As you say, it doesn’t seem a very wise strategy to allow family members to fend for themselves as it makes them vulnerable to dodgy deals. Ditto allowing them to police their own financial affairs.

I sometimes wonder too if Camilla having Charles’s ear, exacerbated Harry’s situation at all, or at least the way he perceived it?
You see this all of the time on Mumsnet where second marriages result in the children of the first manage receiving less money or being just less favoured generally. So it wouldn’t be that unusual a thing to happen.

And as far as any charitable works go, the entire royal system is based on not using their own money, they donate very little directly, relatively speaking, but focus on persuading benefactors to cough up. And in the past they haven’t been too discerning about where the funding comes from shall we say? Wasn’t that how Jimmy Saville inveigled himself by raising £4 million in 18 months or something like that?

I do think this is a very problematic issue for the RF with their opaque financial dealings as it leaves then open to either being exploited by those who have the money but no scruples, or allows those of them without scruples to profit on the side.

Agree about the blind eye!

And yes, thank you AnnunciataM.

I agree. Unless the whole thing threatens to fall apart, he won't do anything at all. I do think his intention to do as little as possible while enriching himself even more wont wash for very long though, which hopefully will lead to the reforms needed. If he is more or less invisible it wont be sustainable to then expect the public to support him, his wife and 3 children into their dotage. There won't be much of a Monarchy left for George. Let alone the decades of hand shaking they are preparing Charlotte and Louis for already.

Isn't Charles going to "look after him"?

Like the way Michael looked after Fredo in the Godfather films?

I suspect he leads exactly the same lifestyle he always has, except for no tedious actual duties to get in the way anymore.

But he loves the duties! Especially if he can don velvet, ermine, a hat with a big feather and a bloody great gold curtain tie back!

Life won't have changed much for him apart from that I agree.

I read somewhere that only 1% of the Epstein files have been released, Trump is doing anything in his power to avoid this... I wonder if there is more to come with Andrew's name on it...

Re the allocation of funds - it’s only the working royals who actually have to be paid by the monarch instead of the previous civil list. When the civil list paid an annual ‘wage’ that was to royals who were doing official duties and covered their expenses. Now that ‘wage’ is split between the Sovereign Grant which covers travel and staff for official duties, leaving Charles to top up extra funds for their day to day needs as they are supporting him rather than persuing alternative careers.

So you don’t have to be dependent on your brother if you don’t want to.

What are day to day needs though?

It's alright for William as he has a £26 million a year Duchy top up, but what about the likes of Anne/Edward etc.
If they want a luxury holiday, private jet to somewhere out the way, do they have to go to Charles for the dosh?
If so, Andrew would've hated that, no wonder he was so into backhanders and dodgy deals

My understanding was that the gc inherited millions from the Queen Mother (not sure how as she had huge debts but no doubt there was a bulletproof trust or two) and I imagine the Queen left a few £M but as her will is private we don’t know. It’s all rather murky, but I doubt the children or gc are on their uppers. It’s simply not enough for some of them.

The Queen Mother did not have debt as we think of it.

What she did have was a slew of unpaid bills that she didn't bother with when she was alive.

These bills were then settled on her demise.

She had plenty of wealth!

Are their husbands rich? Beatrice’s yes I can see that. But I can’t see Eugenie’s husband as rich. Happy to be proven wrong.

Wealthier than the majority I would suggest

He's in remainder to the Brooksbank baronetcy whatever that means.

I always thought when he met Eugenie he was doing the ski season behind the bar, and it was a case of man meets his Princess Charming. Modern day fairytale!

He went to the Uni of Bristol and dropped out.

I think his Wikipedia entry bigs him up somewhat as his family has connections it appears.

Not that I care, he seems a decent man and him and Eugenie appear very happy. 😊 I'm glad a somewhat ordinary bloke bagged his princess.

I don’t know but I imagine that when the civil list went away, the late Queen gave the working royals a similar yearly lump sum as they would have had from the civil list - maybe adjusted to reflect that all their official duty expenses were coming from the Sovereign Grant. I can’t remember what Philip was getting as his payment continued for some reason so maybe £250,000 a year?

Which considering all the trusts and investments they probably all have as well should have been enough - seems to have worked for Edward and Anne.

It might be even more than that now.

We know that from Charles’ published accounts when he was Prince of Wales that he was giving about £6million shared between Kate/William & Harry/Meghan for that full year H&M were still working royals.

I’m wondering if William has little choice re these two as there are very few options for who will perform duties once he’s king.
Apart from Sophie, Edward and Anne who else is there? I can’t see Zara and Mike Tindall suddenly being able to (other than at the races etc), Sophie and Edward’s DCs aren’t seen other than at big family events.
Personally I don’t think Beatrice and Eugenie are far behind their parents when it comes to freebies and handouts.