From King Charles’s infamous affair to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to step back from the Royal Family, the monarchy has weathered a fair share of controversies over the years. Yet, none have been as damaging as the sexual assault allegations against Prince Andrew.
The Royal found himself in hot water when his friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein came under the microscope. In an effort to quell rumors, Prince Andrew agreed to an interview with BBC Newsnight journalist Emily Maitlis.
He was accused of having sexual relations with Virginia Giuffre, who was 17 at the time. Giuffre alleged she was trafficked by businessman Epstein and passed around his circle of friends for sex.
Andrew, who has now shockingly renounced his Royal titles, vehemently denied these allegations. However, the interview was widely perceived as a disaster and led to his withdrawal from public life.
Now, the scandal is back in the headlines as an email reveals he maintained a friendship with the pedophile longer than he admitted. This comes as excerpts from a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre were published.
Queen Elizabeth supported her son but allegedly had just a one-word reaction to Prince Andrew’s account of events, according to the Royal Family’s close confidant and biographer Gyles Brandreth. In an excerpt from his 2002 book, Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Brandreth discloses that the late Queen “listened carefully” to her son’s complete explanation of the scandal and responded with just one word: “Intriguing.”
Brandreth recounted a discussion he had with a senior courtier about the controversy, saying, “There was a lot of nonsense talked about no one being at the helm, but the Queen took a firm grip of things.”
As reported by The Mirror, the Queen agreed to help Prince Andrew settle his civil sex case by personally making a £2million donation to Virginia Giuffre’s charity. Under the terms of the £2million agreement negotiated by the Queen’s top advisers and the Duke of York’s legal representatives, the Queen consented to help Andrew on the condition that she wouldn’t be connected to any direct payment to Ms Giuffre, it is understood.
A Royal source revealed, “She could not be seen to be making a payment to a victim of sexual assault, who accused her son of being an abuser. But a deal was structured in such a way to arrange a sizeable financial contribution to the settlement by way of a charitable donation instead.”
Despite her concise statement, the Queen demonstrated her support for her son by accompanying him on a horseback ride through Windsor Great Park in the rain, just days after he stepped back from public duties, with photographers strategically placed to document the occasion.
Subsequently, on January 13, Buckingham Palace released a statement, “With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen. The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen.”
Following Prince Andrew’s announcement that he would be relinquishing all his titles, it is thought that this choice was shaped by both King Charles and Prince William. In a statement issued yesterday (Friday, October 17), Andrew declared, “In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.
“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me. As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”