Optics Check: Waleses public support for Andrew: William and Catherine’s driving and embracing Andrew is a massive error?

[Foxypuppy]

Are the Waleses and the Andrew Unity Drive A bridge too far? Seriously, why were William and Catherine protecting Andrew?

I’ve always been a supporter of the Prince and Princess of Wales, but I am finding it harder and harder to defend their recent excuses and petty behavior regarding 'family unity'.

Specifically, I’m looking at the optics of William personally driving Prince Andrew to church at Balmora Daily Mail report here

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12449837/Prince-William-drives-disgraced-uncle-Prince-Andrew-church-Balmoral.html

This wasn't just a family carpool; it was a deliberate, televised statement of support. William was in the driver's seat, Andrew in the passenger seat, and Catherine in the back.

At the same time, we have royal commentators like Jennie Bond stating that William and Catherine would 'rather have Andrew as a neighbour than Meghan and Harry. Independent article here

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/royal-family/william-kate-meghan-harry-frogmore-b2295732.html.

I understand that family dynamics are complicated and that they feel betrayed by the Sussexes' interviews. However:

1. Harry and Meghan are a family feud involving books and Netflix deals, though they couldnt protect Meghan against racism, not even make an statement
2. Prince Andrew is a man associated with Jeffrey Epstein, impliyed in e-mails to ne object in the death of a girl, hes a well known liar and with multi-million dollar settlement alongside much other bizarre stuff.

How can William and Catherine justify being part of the face of Andrew’s rehabilitation even after he was impliyed while being so publicly cold toward William’s own brother? Does anyone else feel like their moral compass is slightly off here? Surely a sister-in-law isn't worse than the Andrew crimes? Why he royal family and media even tried to protect him and only acted this year?

I see your point. I presume that if Catherine had an underlying condition, then she may have had it pre-dc though? We don’t know.

However, the issue here isn’t really health, it’s transparency, I firmly believe that she is entitled to privacy in all health matters. But I also see your point Musicalchef that if you take coffers from the public purse, you either have to be seen to be earning it fully, or you make a clear statement as to why you can’t, without going in to details.

I still think we should be focusing on William though because he has his health and strength and plenty of support staff and plenty of financial resources and he doesn’t appear to be able to manage a full week’s work!

He complained that 2024 was the worst year of his life and I’m sure it wasn’t easy with his father and wife unwell.

But he seems to be totally unaware that many people have elderly unwell parents, and either cancer themselves or a spouse or partner with cancer and young dc. And they have no choice but to go on working full time. Moreover, their spouse or partner is being treated in the NHS with all of the stressful communication, cancelled operations, waiting, uncertainty, and inability to get the drugs they need.

Sorry to wang on but it upsets me bc I have experience of this in my family.

William needs to live in the real world for a while I think.

Yes indeed, she has a right to privacy, she isn't forced to reveal her health issues I don't think anyone argued it, but as she’s said she’s in remission for more than a year, that changes the context. In my view, we should be looking at both of them. William is particularly damning in this situation due to the Epstein business in the files; I’m shocked no one has done a topic about that yet. Catherine is just a woman effectively helping to uphold misogyny and a cycle of abuse while draining the taxpayer. As the blood Prince, William holds the most power and resources, yet he isn't even managing a full week's work in the real world, he needs to be held accountable for his associations and his workload indeed.

Good points @Musicalchef

I won't lie that this also passed through my head. But if that's the case, we have serious issues no?

If a mother of three can't say no to helping an abuser of trafficked minors, if she can't chose to be away from someone like Andrew because she is holding hostage, being threatened to lose access to her children, having her reputation smeared or anything along those lines, this institution is really, really dark and Catherine needs help to be rescued and supported.

It is a serious dilemma for the family.

Andrew has not been found guilty of any crime.
One doesn't want him to top himself before he has a chance to be interviewed etc. (Trusting that the Police are doing their job.)
So family need to keep contact, and not judge their brother prematurely.

I agree. Imagine having no voice, no agency, no opinion.

What a depressing life she must lead. (apart from the riches of course)
And how hard to bring up a daughter to have a voice. I suppose Charlotte will just follow in her mother's footsteps although she will be marrying out of the family as opposed to in.
She'll be fine. It's George and Louis's wives I fear for.

Andrew paid 12 million to settle a civil case with Virginia Giuffre, most innocent people don't pay millions to someone they claim never to have met. Doesn't make much sense be protecting the feelings of a man who used public resources to entertain a child sex offender. In a fair world, the ones linked to a trafficking ring, become pariah, not someone who gets a quiet royal exile funded by the king, and parties with the prince and princess having a good laugh.

Well, William and Catherine prefer to do business with Epstein and appear on events with Andrew, living next door to Andrew, instead of addressing the victims?

Ah Yes. Another case of people in that family being too honourable. They are only keeping in with Andrew so that he doesn’t kill himself to make sure justice is done. So honourable, such good people.

One of the poorest attempts to make them look good that I’ve seen.

William and Catherine prefer to do business with Epstein

Your evidence for that, please?

Are you referring to this story that @BemusedAmerican linked to upthread?

https://archive.ph/DeKH7

William wasn't patron of the charity, but was an ambassador - made a video for them in 2013 and carried out some engagements in 2014 and 2015. He had nothing to do with any donations to the organisation.

He has been a patron of Tusk since 2005, and set up his own wildlife charity (United for Wildlife) through his Royal Foundation in 2014.

I'm not sure why being linked to Branson makes Catherine guilty of something. If being linked to someone who is linked to Epstein makes someone guilty, I suspect there will be thousands of guilty people in the world.

Not only that. The issue isn't just about guilt but about the shocking lack of vetting for the institution we fund. The new reports clearly states also, that The Palace as an office reached out to Epstein for help with a legal deal. Whether William was a patron or an ambassador of that specific charity is a technicality; the point is that his name and his office were being used in the same circles as a sex trafficker to broker 'deals.' it's also interesting that the money was received exact same year William turner anbassor of that charity, right.

As for Catherine and Branson, it’s not just a casual link. She brokered actual business and PR deals with him. When Branson’s own emails show him inviting Epstein to bring a harem to the very island where Catherine was partying and holidaying, it raises serious questions about the judgment of our future Queen's inner circle. We aren't talking about thousands of people we're talking about the people at the very top of our state.

Can you post links to the Catherine and Branson info? Not seeing it here in the US.

Other than the William charity bit, which I don't think proves wrongdoing on William's part, what other proof is there of a William Epstein connection? Once again not seeing it here in the US.

Lol! He has refused to even give evidence to the FBI, despite being clearly very, very close to the whole operation. The Met were providing Royal Protection officers to turn a blind eye. He will never go to court, and the police will never investigate properly. They could be forced to but I suspect that would put a spotlight on some serious threats to careers by the RF, particularly by TLQ, so I doubt that would happen either.

She doesn't strike me as someone who particularly wants a 'voice'. Her early childhood stuf sounds to me like something the Palace PR have come up with because its a lazy kind of "mum must like kids" type narrative andcshe occasionally has tobturn up andctake some pictures. I think she wants to be Queen, just like William wants to be King and both of them want their kids to live a life of unbridled luxury. The only way to do that is to play the game and they do the bare minimum they have to to keep that going.

I agree. What a pathetic life. Sorry but that's my view. I just contrast with my DDs and what they do in their lives, and think what a waste. Don't rock the boat, have no opinion, just smile and spend most of your time working on your hair, clothes and appearance. Still...it keeps the Monarchy going and the royalists love it.
I know that's harsh, sorry I can't help it. It's all a facade isn't it

As I said upthread, would you rock the boat knowing how your MIL was treated when she divorced? Knowing you won’t get custody of your DCs?

If Kate was my dc I’d have laid it all out for her before she married. I can only surmise Kate must have really loved William to sign up for that. I’d have told mine to run for the hills. I agree what a waste.

And let’s not forget that was part funded by the late Queen.

sorry quoted wrong thing here, but the queen put £2 million towards the payment so her hands were dirty too.

I am sure she does do lots of public speaking but I don’t even know what Kate’s voice sounds like. I am sure she’s perfectly nice but she seemingly has no opinions on anything, or she does and we’ll never get to hear them. (There again look at how Meghan was judged for daring to have an opinion on things.)

I can’t imagine anyone being happy about their daughter wanting to be like her when the grow up. The never complain, never explain thing is so outdated, I can’t believe anyone still spouts this like it a good thing.

Love only gets you so far though. I know she was young when she met William but she was nearly 30 by the time she married him. She knew exactly what would be expected of her and her children from the institution. She has eyes and is not a stupid woman. She knew what happened to her MIL. She went out of her way to show William just how compliant she was, and how willing she would be to do everything asked of her. I do think William knew exactly what he was doing with her though. He was not manipulated by it in any way. He knew that having an extremely compliant wife would be exactly what would be necessary to survive in the RF. He made sure he could do what he liked and she would come running.
He also knows what happened to his mother and what became of her opinions and her outshining Charles, and the ruthless Palace press campaign to paint her as promiscuous and rehabilitate Camilla.

Absolutely this. He is the one who will benefit almost completely from the continuation of the Monarchy. He is already a double billionnaire as a consequence of becoming Duke of Cornwall. He is the one who is using 3 school aged children as an excuse as to why he can't do a 3rd of the work of any of his pretty elderly relatives without needing months off on holiday and he is the one who plans to 'reform' the Monarchy so he doesn't have to do anything for the enormous riches he shows no indication of wanting to reduce when or if he is King.

Better put than me @RainbowBagels

I honestly think Catherine and William don't care one bit for Andrew crimes; or they are also compromised by something, therefore tied to Andrew (probably Andrew says he would reveal some dark secret, or dirty business etc)

How anyone can defend those two is beyond my understanding. They have ties with at least four Epstein inner circle: the Arab Prince, Andrew, Bill Gates and Richard Branson. But no, Meghan and Harry are the problem 🎉😄

And then Meghan and Harry are on the lists too. Interesting!