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Royal's association with a convicted sex offender has damaged his reputation, observers say
Anna Cunningham – CBC News
Posted: 2 hours ago
Last updated: 16 minutes ago
Prince Andrew is seen at a service of thanksgiving for the life of his father, Prince Philip, at Westminster Abbey in London on March 29, 2022. Newly released court documents have highlighted Andrew's connection to convicted sex offender and human trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. (Richard Pohle/The Associated Press)
It is no surprise that Prince Andrew is named in recently unsealed US court documents that list dozens of associates of Jeffrey Epstein, the late US financier and convicted sex offender and human trafficker.
The 63-year-old Duke of York has stayed out of public life since a disastrous BBC interview in 2019 in which he defended his friendship with Epstein and sparked public outrage.
In February 2022, Andrew settled a US civil case brought by Virginia Giuffre, who claimed he sexually assaulted her more than two decades ago, when she was 17.
He has kept a low profile since then, although there have been recent signs of a possible return to public royal duties.
But Sarah Hewson, royal editor at British broadcaster Talk TV, said this week's revelations from across the Atlantic were “a reminder that this is not going away.”
“It would be deeply embarrassing if a senior member of the royal family were to be implicated in this way,” Hewson said.
“Really unbearable” for Andrew and the royals
The British media has inevitably commented on the latest news. The Chron called it “the 'final nail in the coffin' for Prince Andrew,” while the Telegraph declared: “The Epstein files couldn't have come at a worse time for Prince Andrew.” A Guardian analysis said: “The Epstein court filings damage Prince Andrew’s hopes of restoring his reputation.”
The unsealed court documents were filed by Giuffre in her separate lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite who was convicted in December 2021 of sex trafficking and related charges for procuring teenage girls for Epstein.
VIEW | What unsealed documents say about those who were close to Jeffrey Epstein:
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A New York court has unsealed documents containing a list of people in some way connected to Jeffrey Epstein. Those named are not necessarily accused of wrongdoing, as some are making allegations or are potential witnesses. The documents include testimony from depositions about sex trafficking of young girls by Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. 1:50
What's remarkable about these documents is that they release for the first time a statement from another woman, Johanna Sjoberg, who claims the prince groped her in Epstein's Manhattan apartment in 2001 while playing with a cartoon doll of himself. Buckingham Palace had previously said her claims were “categorically untrue”.
“We’ve heard Johanna Sjoberg’s claims before, but we see [Andrew’s] “The name in black and white is really distressing for him and the entire royal family,” Hewson said.
In her statement, Sjoberg said, “I was sitting on Andrew's lap and they took the doll's hands and put them on Virginia's chest, and so Andrew put his.” [hand] on my [Sjoberg’s breast].”
The perennial problem for Andrew, who has been stripped of his military honors and royal patronages and no longer uses his HRH title, is that his name is forever linked to Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in 2019.
“The fact that he is named so often in the Epstein files will clearly do further damage to his already tarnished reputation,” Joe Little, editor of Majesty magazine, said in an interview with CBC News.
Buckingham Palace is largely disused
Once dubbed “Air Miles Andy” by the British press for his travels around the world – often to play golf – Andrew now lives in Windsor, west of London, with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York.
His last public appearance was on Christmas Day, when he accompanied Sarah and his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, on their way to church near the king's Sandringham estate.
(Hannah Mckay/Portal)
Last year there was speculation that the prince was being quietly rehabilitated into royal life; For example, he was pictured traveling with Prince William and his wife Catherine. But any possibility of Andrew returning to life as a working king now seems decidedly out of the question.
Buckingham Palace has remained silent in recent years amid angry public opinion over the scandal. The last comments on this issue were made in January 2022, when it was announced that “with the approval and approval of the Queen, the military connections and royal patronages of the Duke of York have been returned to the Queen.” The palace also said it would continue to refrain from carrying out public functions.
Andrew himself remained in the shadows, but caused a stir when he accompanied his mother at a memorial service for her late husband, Prince Philip, in March 2022.
“It seems the king feels the same way as his late mother,” Little said, noting that Andrew “will always remain a member of the royal family and will therefore be involved in private events such as Christmas at Sandringham.”
On Thursday, the British anti-monarchist group Republic said it had reported Andrew to the Metropolitan Police. In a statement, Republic CEO Graham Smith said: “I call on the Met Police to reopen this case, I call on MPs to debate this matter in Parliament and I urge them.” [King] Charles should make a public statement – to the press and answering questions – to respond to these allegations and their statements about the monarchy.”
King Charles has been on the throne for just over a year. Headlines about his brother will be most unwelcome as he tries to make a name for himself after his mother's reign.
Experts said the king would want to publicly distance himself from any scandal and the publication of the Epstein papers could give him the perfect excuse to reduce the number of working royals.
Low chance of public rehabilitation
Royal historian and author Carolyn Harris predicts that Andrew will keep a low profile and that his finances are likely to face further public scrutiny.
“There may be public pressure on King Charles III to further restrict the privileges enjoyed by certain non-working members of the royal family,” she said, “including the use of royal residences and the security of Prince Andrew.”
(Owen Humphreys/WPA/Getty Images)
But a path to publicly rehabilitating Prince Andrew now seems impossible.
“If the Duke of York were a different person, the King would probably still accept his support as a working royal, as would the Princess Royal.” [Princess Anne] and the Duke of Edinburgh [Prince Edward] “We do so much important work,” said Barry Mackenzie, a royal historian at St. Francis Xavier University.
“However, the ship has sailed and Prince Andrew has a lot to answer for.”
Hewson is more categorical.
“There is no rehabilitation for Prince Andrew, it is already over for him,” she said. “The dark shadow of his friendship with Epstein is omnipresent.”