Palace likely to face questions about what it knew in Andrew scandal

Buckingham Palace may have hoped that Prince Andrew renouncing his titles would draw a clear line to the scandals; But there is no sign that the Palace’s problems will be solved.

It was apparently the public outcry that forced the Palace to admit that something needed to be done before Andrew was forced to give up titles such as Duke of York.

This raises questions about whether the Palace should have acted sooner to respond to incidents involving Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein years ago.

Royal sources say the accusations against Andrew “are treated with the greatest concern and must be examined by appropriate means and to the fullest extent.”

Prince Andrew stopped working as a royal in 2019 and so Buckingham Palace has not been in charge of him in recent years.

But the period examined, from the late 1990s to Prince Andrew’s BBC News Night interview in 2019, was during his time as a royal and for a decade he served as the government’s trade representative.

More evidence emerging from that period, such as damaging emails showing links between Andrew and Epstein, raises questions about what royal officials and government departments may have known at the time and what information may still be held.

Did the Palace ever challenge the prince on his account of events in the News Night interview?

The news also included the claim that Prince Andrew cut off all communication with Jeffrey Epstein after the meeting in New York in December 2010. But emails have since emerged showing Andrew communicating privately with Epstein months later, promising to “play some more soon”.

Andrew said of his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, that he “doesn’t remember anything about meeting this lady.” But documents revealed over the weekend suggested he had Ms. Giuffre’s social security number and asked police for personal information about her.

This is an allegation that the Metropolitan Police are currently investigating with the support of Buckingham Palace.

Prince Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing involving Ms. Giuffre.

Many of the recent scandals involving Prince Andrew have stemmed from the discovery of old emails, including a scan of the Epstein documents in the US.

It is not yet known whether any records will be released regarding Epstein, including the Royal Family, whose staff once worked and traveled with Andrew as he moved around Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in the UK.

Ms Giuffre’s statement about meeting Prince Andrew in London also included references to security guards. What records of his movements are still in the police’s possession?

There are also unanswered questions about Prince Andrew’s financial situation. He no longer has the financial support of his brother King Charles but still needs to finance the upkeep of his home at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

His links to business dealings with China, including a contact accused of being a Chinese spy, have never been fully disclosed, although court documents reveal details such as Prince Andrew sending birthday cards to Chinese President Xi Jinping every year and meeting privately with the Chinese ambassador.

These questions arose again last week when photos emerged of Prince Andrew with a senior Chinese politician who was a central figure in the collapsed Chinese espionage case.

Is there an institutional lack of curiosity or misplaced respect for learning about Andrew’s activities?

The period in question was Queen Elizabeth II. It took place during the previous reign of Elizabeth. Does the current team at the Palace now have to face changing expectations on transparency?

There was a dramatic announcement last Friday evening that saw Prince Andrew give up titles such as Duke of York and honors such as the Order of the Garter. But it was a statement that showed little remorse and emphasized his innocence.

This has sparked debate about whether the sanctions imposed on Prince Andrew go far enough. Prince Andrew has agreed not to use titles such as Duke of York, but technically still holds them.

Keeping it a voluntary decision kept him within the Royal Family. But there are also calls for Parliament to play a greater role in holding royals to account.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell wants to change the law so Andrew’s titles can be removed entirely. Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said there was “no justification” why Parliament should not take the move to strip Andrew of his titles.

Parliament could go a step further and remove Prince Andrew from the line of succession to the throne if it reaches an agreement with the Commonwealth kingdoms, the House of Commons Library has revealed in a new document published on Monday. Edward VIII was disinherited when he abdicated in 1936.

King Charles could also remove Andrew’s princely status using a legal document called the Letters Patent, leaving him as Mr. Andrew Windsor.

But a royal source says the actions taken show the Palace “acted quickly and robustly on the new email evidence that emerged” and that this approach avoided wasting parliament’s valuable time.

The palace will support police investigating the latest allegations, and sources say the focus should not be on PR battles or reputational questions but on Epstein’s victims and “the entire network of girls and young women subjected to abuse and appalling treatment”.