A Prince No More: What is Next for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor?

Image - Jamie Gray

The saga of allegations surrounding Andrew’s association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein is endless. It is clear that the King has tired of the continuous stream of allegations further damaging the Monarchy. King Charles III’s decision to formally strip Andrew of his title of ‘Prince’ and banish him  from the Royal Lodge signal that the Royal Family has become fatigued by the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein clinging to their family. But the questions remain; who knew what, and when?

In a previous attempt to placate the public, Andrew stated that he will no longer use his royal titles, such as Duke of York, after discussions within the family. However, many continued to question whether this move had gone far enough, and it is clear that even the King realised that more had to be done, resulting in Andrew’s title of “Prince’ being stripped from him. He is now only known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

Whilst this move can be identified as a symbolic gesture, it can also be conceded that the King stripping Andrew of what essentially was his ‘birth right’ is significant. It indicates that the public opinion about Andrew has turned so foul that even the King cannot allow him to go seemingly ‘unpunished.’ It is clear that even if the Royals do not believe that Andrew is guilty of any wrongdoing, the tide has turned so far against him that he is impossible to defend. The preservation of the monarchy is too important, too fundamental, for them to allow Andrew to bring them down with him. Jeffrey Epstein’s ghost is persistent and restless, with the new slew of emails released demonstrating that there is always more to know. Despite the shock that the public, and probably Andrew, felt when this announcement was made, is this enough? Clearly the US Congress does not think so.

The US Congressional Oversight and Government Committee have requested an interview with Andrew regarding his friendship with the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The slew of emails released recently has raised more questions about the extent of Andrew’s communication with Epstein and his willingness to cut off a known paedophile. We cannot know what Andrew will or will not do, however, logically it is likely he would not further expose himself to scrutiny over this issue after the disaster that was the Newsnight interview. Much like his connections with Epstein, this interview has haunted Andrew, with clips being re-run even five years later. The fact that the US has even made this request highlights how the controversy surrounding Epstein remains alive and well, even as he does not. It is clear that not only is Andrew’s association unclear to the British people, but it also remains unclear to those in other countries. The Royals had to do something; their reputation abroad is one of the reasons why monarchists advocate for the preservation of the monarchy. The US Congress is surely not the only government to have questions.

A further measure that the Royals Family took was to terminate Andrew’s residence at the Royal Lodge. King Charles clearly deems it necessary for the public to see Andrew ‘punished’ in this way, despite his denials of the allegations regarding his friendship with Epstein. It is unprecedented that the Royal Family would express its displeasure with a member of their family in such a public way. It further communicates that even they might not buy into Andrew’s denials. Overall, the public spectacle of essentially casting him out of the spotlight and shunning him in such a humiliating manner demonstrates that they have read the public and international mood. They have decided to save the institution of the monarchy, rather than stand by Andrew. Perhaps this signals, as I stated in my previous article, that they have realised that they did not go far enough to distance themselves from Jeffrey Epstein.

What is next for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor? He is set to move into Sandringham Estate in an effort to move him away from the public eye and away from using taxpayer funds. However, it is clear that a removal from the public eye will not be enough while Epstein continually drags him back to the newspaper front pages. In my previous article I questioned whether the Royals had done enough. I again ask the same question. When will it be enough? What will placate the public? The answer is the truth. That said, it is doubtful whether all the relevant information will make its way into the public domain. Andrew’s life now amounts to one moment; the moment he met and befriended the late financier, Jeffrey Epstein.

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