Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor humiliated again as calls grow to remove him from Britain amid police probe
On the outskirts of the sprawling city of Paris stands Villa Windsor - a glamorous house surrounded by a large garden and trees. It used to be the home of a former King of England - Edward VIII, known as the Duke of Windsor after he abdicated the throne in 1936 - until his death in 1972. The property is a reminder that the monarchy is not immune to turmoil. Every time the monarchy encountered a major crisis afterwards, it was compared to the fateful moment when the immensely popular former Prince of Wales renounced the throne to marry American divorcee, Wallis Simpson.
Nowadays, another one of the Royal Family’s own has plunged the firm into major difficulties, but he is still lingering in Blighty. Instead of moving to France, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was exiled to Marsh Farm after the Jeffrey Epstein scandal erupted and the ex-prince was arrested. And last weekend, he was reportedly snubbed by the King, as the monarch spent the Bank Holiday in Sandringham Wood Farm. It came as police revealed that they are investigating an allegation that Andrew behaved inappropriately towards a woman at Royal Ascot.
The alleged incident is said to have happened in 2002. Two days before King Charles’s trip, it was revealed that detectives will consider allegations of sexual misconduct in their inquiry into his potential misconduct in public office.
Moving to another royal estate will just not do it, I’m afraid.
The King should make a bigger statement by insisting that Andrew follows the former Edward VIII in upping sticks and living somewhere abroad.
Stories would continue to be written about the former prince’s alleged antics, and, no doubt photographers would swarm to his new foreign haunt, but he would not be as physically proximate to the Crown, which counts for a lot.
The optics of housing him on British royal land are just awful.
Andrew insists that he has not done anything wrong, and he has been released by police while under investigation after being arrested in February.
If he were able to leave the country, the King should insist that he do so.
Whatever he has or has not done, Andrew’s reputation could hardly be made worse, and he is a drain on how people view the monarchy itself.
He would, however, be able to still live a luxurious lifestyle in another country, as the Duke of Windsor did, if the police investigation clears him of any criminal wrongdoing.
The former King enjoyed entertaining friends, and collected a variety of royal memorabilia, which, I suspect, is similar to what Andrew would do.
But I suspect Andrew’s pride would mean he would refuse a move, as he continues to insist that he has done nothing wrong, and would seemingly love nothing more than to be restored to his former position as a central member of the Royal Family.
Being exiled to a foreign land may well be his worst nightmare.
Technology & Business Editor
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
