William denounced as "workshy" due to lack of royal engagements he performs

[SpaEnjoyer]

I read this article in the DM which was originally brought to my attention by my MIL, who has a very keen interest in goings-on involving the RF.

'His absences have not gone unnoticed': Norman Baker asks when 'workshy William' is going to step up https://mol.im/a/15908021

I must admit I was surprised to learn that William has attended fewer events than KC and Anne over the last 3 years. I agree with the sentiment that he needs to step up to ease the burden on his father.

I would have thought that everyone would have realised that without the questions of Baker, Lownie, Republic and the amazing Led By Donkeys, we would still have Andrew parading around with all his titles at the Garter ceremony, on the balcony, etc. Would that be good for the monarchy?

What’s that got to do with anything? It’s ok to point out poor journalism and dodgy evidence of William’s laziness. It’s not the same as wishing there were no investigative journalism and that Andrew hadn’t been demoted.

To be honest, I often take DM articles with a pinch of salt, which is why I'd rather get stuck into a book and dissect it in my mind. The House of York (Lownie) was a corker, so much so, I had to read it twice!

Not one of his ( few) critics can dispute the facts
Even the AI post above states that his financial facts and criticisms of the Windsors are correct

Your review of his other books is just your opinion and I suspect another attempt at a smear - just not as basic a smear attempt as the posts above Unfortunately it’s totally irrelevant.
We are discussing the Windsors and their abuses not Mr Kelly .

Actually it’s the News of the World you have to thank for bringing Andrew down.

Because it isn't just what you were saying there was a lot directed at @CathyorClaire - which included disparaging comments about Baker and the leader of Republic when she gave her opinion. Andrew would be in place, with threats from the Palace of defamation, if not constantly challenged. Remember, the Palace knew 15 years ago - some of those that question have had to be very resilient to this undermining.

That is what it has to do with everything.

Right, so a post you disagree with is AI? Who’s desperate now! 🤣

(I suppose I should be flattered that you think my evidence-based post is clear and and concise enough that it could only be AI, rather than typed out by myself just now…)

I have partly caught up with this thread and can see now why royalists have been relying so heavily on personal attacks and ridicule rather than argument 🤣

It bodes well for the future .

No @Serenster

The AI was a post above yours

Oh, you might want to work on your clarity, then!

A primer on irony might also be helpful.

I disagree

His Newsnight interview started the questions. Release of the Epstein Files (or some of them) in the US carried it all on.

That interview was television gold. Hoisted by his own petard.

You must have come to this story late simpsonthecat? The Newsnight interview was something Andrew did because the questions had been dogging him for years by that point and wouldn't go away. He’d lost his Trade Envoy role because of it already. So Andrew, being the idiot he is, decided the best way to put it all behind him was to be interviewed to give his side of the story. And we all know how that turned out!

But the story was broken by a journalist at the News the World back in February 2011, who followed Andrew in New York and got the photo of him an Epstein walking in Central Park, and asked "Just what is the 4th in line to the throne doing meeting a convicted child-sex pervert... even if he is a billionaire?"

Here’s a link to a Guardian article of that day congratulating them on the scoop:
www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2011/feb/20/newsoftheworld-prince-andrew

No I didn't come to the story late. I just dispute the fact it was just down to the NOTW that broke everything.

I have seen a large article about how the pic in Central Park came about. It was written by the actual photographer who was a freelancer. He does surveillance, covert assignments, all sorts and invested a lot of time getting that pic. At one point he had to run like hell to get in position. Fascinating stuff.

Then how can you possibly say “His Newsnight interview started the questions”?

The questions started in February 2011. The furore meant he stepped down as Trade Envoy in July 2011. The Mail on Sunday started digging and obtained and published a cropped version of the photo of Andrew with Virginia Giuffre. There were literally hundreds and hundreds of articles in the press about him.

Even the wiki entry on the entry goes in detail through the many years’ background to the interview. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Andrew_%26_the_Epstein_Scandal

OK Serenster I got it wrong. I typed quickly and without thinking, please accept my apologies.

That was very revelatory for me - the amount of people who had many opinions of Spare but refused to read it!

The same was true of JK Rowling and her statement re women's rights. Indeed my own teens - opinions on her stand without having read the statement.

Boggles the mind.

We read Spare for book club!

😁

I didn’t read Spare but did read pages of excerpts. I have opinions. 😂

My opinion on your opinions!! 😉🤣

Based on the excerpts here is a draft Christmas gift list from the Royal Family:

To Harry from William:
Lifetime supply of sausages
Necklace

To Harry from KC:
Standing offer to stay in William’s old bedroom
A diary so he can keep track of dates (like when he got the call about his great grandmother dying)
Photo album of childhood family events like cycling

To Meghan from Catherine:
Variety pack of lip glosses
A paste copy of Diana’s ring
A shopping trip together
The phone number of a good Atelier
A box of tissues

From W&C to the dog:
A new dog bowl.

🤣

Exactly this.

Joined up thinking like this is what all the noise and PR is trying to suppress.

I repeat : Epstein was first convicted in 2008. The Windsors have known for a long time .

What did you know and when, William and Charles ?

Sen. Ro Khanna describes an Epstein class .
What other links are there ?

We know William likes to borrow ultra polluting mega yachts . From whom?

Charles refused to meet survivors of Epstein, I think the excuse was it would affect the trial. And removing titles and housing etc wouldn’t?
They still haven’t apologised for the statement calling Virginia a liar.

This is all without attention to Mountbatten and Ball and Saville - what else do we not know ?