Royal expert says Prince Andrew saga ‘can be saved if monarchy makes three decisive moves’ | Royal | News
The Royal Family can defend its reputation against Prince Andrew-related scandals; But for this they need to take three decisive steps. That’s according to royal author Andrew Lownie, who recently wrote an explosive book called Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.
And Lownie outlined what he believes the Firm should do in the wake of other allegations that emerged in Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Daughter. Andrew, 65, has since announced that he will no longer use the title Duke of York because he believes “the ongoing allegations against me are a distraction from the work of Her Majesty and the Royal Family”. But speaking in Channel 5’s new documentary 5 Days That Fell Prince Andrew, Lownie believes King Charles and Prince William should have taken more action against Andrew.
He said: “If the monarchy prevails, leaves the Royal Lodge, loses all its titles, including the principality, and goes into some kind of exile, then I think the situation can be salvaged.”
Lownie added that this was a “very dangerous moment” for the crown, suggesting pressure was “growing” for Andrew to be fully exiled.
Meanwhile, another royal commentator, Daisy McAndrew, believes the Andrew scandals, including his relationship with late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, are “incredibly damaging” for the King.
He added: “Charles has waited longer to become King than any other heir to the throne. He is in his mid-70s, living with cancer, and his reign has been overshadowed by his younger brother’s scandals.”
Daisy also said that officially stripping Andrew of his title as Duke would involve parliamentary time, which could take up to a year.
Historian and constitutional expert Professor Kate Williams also told the Channel 5 documentary: “The last thing the king wants is to go to parliament.
“It will be extremely humiliating and embarrassing for the Royal Family because my view is that all MPs will vote that way.”
Andrew, who denies the allegations against him, currently lives in the 30-room Royal Lodge mansion, where he and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson have not paid rent for 20 years.
However, it was claimed that Andrew and Sarah, who have been living here since 2008, would demand two houses in exchange for leaving the Royal Lodge behind.
During exit talks with the palace, Andrew is believed to have asked for Harry and Meghan’s former home, Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor.
It has also been reported that Sarah wants to move into Adelaide Cottage when William and Kate move to nearby Forest Lodge next month.
A friend of the duo claimed Sun: “No one is sure how things will go at the Palace yet. Frogmore Cottage is too small for both of them and Adelaide Cottage is just around the corner so they can see each other whenever they want.
“They both have places where their daughters, Eugenie and Beatrice, and their families can visit.”
