Andrew - continuing his effort to end the Monarchy Part 3

[simpsonthecat]

Here we are

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_royal_family/5487636-andrew-continuing-his-effort-to-end-the-monarchy-part-2?page=20&reply=150676336

Prince Andrew was nicknamed "Airmiles Andy" by the British press around 2004. The moniker emerged during his tenure as the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment (2001–2011), driven by criticism of his excessive use of taxpayers' money for travel, private jets, and helicopters.

He was called this nickname, front pages, and WE knew about it, so I'm sure his mother did!

The government of the time was at fault but oh my goodness so was his mother. At least Charles tried and was against the TE role for him.
God knows what QE2 and the government were thinking, it was one long golfing holiday at the taxpayers expense using private jets and helicopters.

@bluegreygreen
His mother enabled him, protected him and paid off Virginia Guiffre. She was as complicit as he is.

You're leaving out the sexual exploitation of young girls; and the treason - passing confidential government info to Epstein as it landed on his desk.

Oh yes. Not forgotten by me. I was just focussing on the Airmiles Andy nickname that was bandied about back then at the time when we had no idea what he was actually up to as far as Epstein etc

It was Vince Cable, the coalition government’s Lib Dem Business Secretary, who finally got rid of AMW as ‘trade envoy’ in 2011. David Cameron the PM wanted to keep AMW in post but after a lengthy tussle, Vince Cable prevailed.

He should get some credit for that in his well-deserved retirement.

One presumes that Cameron must have mentioned it at some point to QEII. Why would Cameron give Vince Cable a hard time over it - unless QEII had specifically made it known to her PM that this was her wish, and Cameron was deferentially passing this on to Cable (who luckily wasn’t having any of it).

Why would Cameron give Vince Cable a hard time over it - unless QEII had specifically made it known to her PM that this was her wish, and Cameron was deferentially passing this on to Cable (who luckily wasn’t having any of it).

That is always possible - and if that's the case I hope we find some evidence of it. It would be wrong both of the Queen and of Cameron.

The other sizeable elephant which everyone seems to step around politely is the Mandelson/Epstein aspect.
I simply do not believe that AMW was the only person caught up in their machinations: he wouldn't have been worth it, but he was useful to them while he was there.

A reminder: Mandelson pushed for AMW to be trade envoy. From 2001-2011, Mandelson was Britain's European Commissioner for Trade (2004-8), Business Secretary (2008-9), Secretary of State for Business/Trade/Industry (2009/10). Once Labour lost the election in 2010, he founded the Global Counsel lobbying firm (2010) and became president of the Policy Network (2011), among other activities.

Oh yes, we know all about Mandelson, sacked from the Govt twice yet taking up position again, leading to the current furore.

The other sizeable elephant which everyone seems to step around politely is the Mandelson/Epstein aspect.
I don't see anyone stepping around that politely.

And there was Anabelle Neilson - London 'socialite' who died in 2018, procuring girls for Epstein in London
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/annabelle-neilson-british-socialite-put-121445793.html

Interesting. Mortality seems to be an issue for those linked to Epstein.
Naomi Campbell seems to crop up a lot as well
doesnt she?

Naomi sure does seem very involved in those circles. But will say she saw nothing and did nothing and said nothing.

Oh yes, they all say that, don't they?

My point was that if anyone was putting pressure on Cameron to the extent of him resisting Vince Cable for so long, it might well have been M/E, whether directly, or via others lobbying in the background. They benefited from having AMW in place.

It's also interesting to me that Cameron and Osborne, two very prominent and influential men in politics/finance at that time, have been entirely silent about the whole affair.

Interesting report from March 2011.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-12665981

There are a few catwalk videos on you tube that popped up on my feed listing how various supermodels were discovered.

Quite a few were approached by shopping malls by model scouts aged 15 or so. Kate Moss was spotted at an airport c.14. The modus operandi is sooooo creepy, and the links to Victoria's Secret and that whole borderline Playboy bunny world is so glaring

Yes the whole model world seems very sleazy and exploitative.

My point was that if anyone was putting pressure on Cameron to the extent of him resisting Vince Cable for so long, it might well have been M/E, whether directly, or via others lobbying in the background.

Who or what is M/E.?

The model world was and probably still is, really quite exploitative. Although I think it has improved since 80s/90s. Who remembers the 3 part documentary Scouting for Girls, grooming, coercion, trafficking, abuse. All the top models from that era have a story to tell I'm sure.

I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead but Annabelle Neilson was awful, putting together girls for JE and referring to others probably only late 20s/early 30s as 'past their sell by date'. 😮

Is it really credible to think the kind of successful governmental lobbyist E2 proved to be would have had zero influence had she interfered with the already much criticised appointment of her son?

It isn't credible at all, @CathyorClaire, but while it's true that Andrew was massively enabled by his mother bluegreygreen is still correct in saying he was in a taxpayer funded role and it was therefore up to the government to stop him

And this seems to be the crux of the whole problem ... the RF clearly believe they can do exactly as they like, and nobody in government's prepared to say boo to a goose

@simpsonthecat Mandelson or Epstein

Edit to add: We know from the Financial Times article in 2023 how close the three (E/M/AMW) were; we know from the Epstein files that E was effectively controlling AMW; we know that M was in a position of responsibility for trade/business for most of this time; and we know that historically M was a master manipulator behind the scenes.

OK. Thanks for explaining who E/M is. I was confused.

Of course Epstein was a manipulator but that doesn't let AMW off. Not in any way. AMW did what he wanted to do. And he wasn't controlled or manipulated into spending time with a convicted sex trafficker (Maxwell) and a paedophile (Epstein).
Epstein wasn't 'controlling' AMW when he was spending his time in the ME doing dodgy deals with equally dodgy people. He chose to do these things. As did his ex wife.

I find it odd you think he was 'controlled' by Epstein. AMW bears responsibility for his actions. There are no excuses.

I would have thought my opinion on that was clear from my statement upthread:

AMW is responsible for the AMW scandal.

In case not, for absolute clarity, AMW is entirely responsible for any action that he has committed.

If you are unhappy with the word 'controlled', by all means substitute 'used'.

I was remembering the discussion on thread 2 about the emails between Epstein and AMW's adviser, David Stern, as well as the direct relationship.
https://archive.is/erIxf

No need to take offence. Used is a much better word. I agree with that
I am uncomfortable with the idea of him being 'controlled' by Epstein, when it's the actual survivors who were coerced, controlled and manipulated

I am uncomfortable with the idea of him being 'controlled' by Epstein

I agree.

That implies MW was another Epstein victim which he absolutely is not.

'Used' is marginally better but with the world class education MW enjoyed, still being thick and/or entitled enough not to see he was a useful idiot is entirely damning.