He was probably hoping that the grass would slowly grow about his connection to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his abuse scandal. However, when Prince Andrew appeared at the memorial service for King Constantine in Windsor, his tidy appearance apparently opened up deep wounds. Why the disgraced royal was even allowed to take part.
In fact, it must have seemed bizarre, even irreverent, when Prince Andrew, 64, was photographed smiling on his way to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, February 27th. The occasion was certainly not a happy one, as the relatives of the exiled King Constantine, †82, gathered to commemorate their beloved deceased. But the broad grin that the ex-senior royal wore on his face had a further signal effect on an even more shocking level. At least one victim of his friend Jeffrey Epstein, †66, found his almost triumphant appearance after his long damnation to be an unbearable affront. Why Andrew was allowed to take part despite everything.
Prince Andrew takes top position
The opportunity was good: King Charles, 75, is currently concentrating fully on his cancer treatment and is taking a back seat at official appointments. Prince William, 41, had to cancel his participation in the memorial service for his late godfather at short notice “for personal reasons.” The focus was on Queen Camilla, 76 – and Andrew, who smiled happily for the cameras accompanied by his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, 64. Since his older brother’s coronation in May 2023, the man who fell into disgrace due to allegations of abuse has not been seen at a royal event. Now he even sits at the head of the members of the British royal family, together with his sister Princess Anne, 73, and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, 68.
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In 2019, Andrew was forced to step down from his royal duties as a working senior royal due to his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Charles’ disgraced brother no longer attends appointments on behalf of the crown, for example, he does not stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace next to the other members of the royal family at events such as “Trooping the Color”. However, Prince Andrew is still the king’s brother – and as such he is allowed to attend private family events. The “Express” suspects that Andrew was invited to the memorial service for Constantine by the Greek royal family. This also explains why Andrew was allowed to take part in the traditional Christmas walk in Sandringham alongside the other British royals. He is still invited to spend the holidays with the family.
“It’s embarrassing”
However, for an Epstein victim from the US, Andrew’s appearance at the memorial service at Windsor Castle was an unbearable sight. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was abused during her school years by sex offender Epstein, who died in custody, and later received compensation from the investment banker’s victims’ fund. “Anyone who looks at these pictures would think that Andrew hasn’t done anything wrong,” she explained indignantly in an interview with “Mirror” that evening and continued angrily: “His grin like a Cheshire cat is unbearable. We’ve had it for years “I thought we didn’t have to put up with this prince. It’s shameful.”
Andrew’s behavior obviously hit a sensitive nerve. “It doesn’t matter that this was a family event. It was for all the world to see that he led the royals into the service. Andrew has steadfastly refused to tell the FBI what he knows about Jeffrey and feels this appearance “It feels like he’s openly rubbing salt into a wound that was never allowed to heal.”
And the American lawyer Spencer Kuvin also spoke up. The lawyer represents a number of Epstein victims and is also annoyed by the Duke of York’s irritating appearance: “While the medical problems within the royal family are sad and regrettable, it is an insult to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein in general World that Andrew would be seen at such an event. The Duke’s longstanding friendship and close personal relationship with Epstein seriously questions Andrew’s morals and character,” he explained. “Even though it was a family event, his appearance sends a message to the world that he will be welcomed back into royal life. That must never happen.”
No chance of a royal return?
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, was amazed that the prince, who had been relieved of all his royal duties, even led the procession of royals at such a high-profile event. “Andrew has no chance of returning to the royal fold. The King and Prince William have made that abundantly clear. So it is extraordinary to see him at the forefront, given how important the protocol is to the royal family. The royal family has a hierarchy when they walk into a room and that makes it all the more surprising.”
Nevertheless, Seward is certain: “Unless Andrew can clear his name and restore his reputation, he has no chance of returning to his royal duties as he might wish.”
Dangerous friendship with Jeffrey Epstein
The Duke of York is said to have an unfortunate connection to Epstein. Before the American committed suicide in his prison cell after his conviction in August 2019, the two men had a friendship that lasted for years and continued even further when the billionaire was convicted by a Florida court in 2008 of procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting prostitution had been convicted. Both have been spotted together on various occasions.
In 2021, the American Virginia Roberts Giuffre, 40, filed a civil lawsuit against Queen Elizabeth’s second eldest son, †96. She accused the royal of sexually abusing her several times when she was 17. Epstein is said to have introduced the young woman, who was still a minor at the time, to him. Andrew vehemently denies the allegations to this day. However, at the beginning of 2022 he paid the alleged victim twelve million pounds (around 14 million euros) in an out-of-court civil settlement. In the wake of the allegations, the queen stripped her son of his military titles and also his royal patronage. Since then, appearances in the service of the crown have also been taboo for the Duke.
Since the memorial service for exiled King Constantine was a family occasion, Andrew’s participation was expected. However, Buckingham Palace probably didn’t expect that he would make his appearance almost cheerful in a strange way and that it could trigger a storm of indignation.
Source used: mirror.co.uk, express.co.uk