The Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein Controversy 1: 2010-2022

[Pranter]

More calls (from various royal watchers) that he should retire from public life after this interview.

Sarah popping up talking about how great Andrew is (shoulder to the wind blah blah) isn't helping him either. It has been said Sarah took money from Epstein (a loan or something) does anyone know if this is accurate?

I haven't seen the interview yet but from all reports it doesn't sound like anything positive came from it.


LaRae

 

[tommy100]

the interview hasn't even been broadcast yet, its on at 9pm tonight on BBC2.

 

[Ista]

I'm withholding most comment until after the interview is broadcast, because these kind of early reports are not always accurate reflections of what was said or how the principals come across, but Andrew has a long and inglorious history of abysmal judgment, and on the surface this appears to be more of the same.

 

[tommy100]

I will wait to see full interview before commenting further but a good look at why the interview may not help, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...rince-andrew-bbc-interview-catastrophic-error

I especially agree with this part:

Mark Stephens, who represented James Hewitt after his alleged affair with Princess Diana, said: “This strategy only works if you’ve got a complete and full answer to every possible question, and here there are too many loose ends.

It seems odd to me to agree to do an interview and have no better answer than "I don't remember". These interviews work when, sadly, you give everything so there are no more questions to ask and you get out in front of it. It doesn't work as well, IMO, when your answers create even more questions.

 

[Curryong]

As for Sarah, yes she did receive a loan from Epstein, about 14,000 pounds for her most pressing debts. She was drowning in a sea of debt at the time and apparently he helped her restructure her finances. Sarah was noted as being flown to Epstein's island as a passenger and stayed there at one time as well.

Later on when the scandal broke she said she regretted taking the loan. It's not known if she paid it back though. Apparently Epstein threatened to sue her at one point because she referred to him as 'a Paedo' in a conversation.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/fergie-regrets-taking-epsteins-cash

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/09/sarah-ferguson-jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-lawsuit

 

[sophie25]

Andrew and Sarah really are a pair aren't they? There's no contrition here I'm afraid only regret that they may now have to suffer for their transgressions.

 

[tommy100]

IMO they are sorry they got caught, and I believe that and I believe they are genuinely sorry for the fact its dragged the RF and by default HM into it. Watching the interview I get that a lot, but not much else.

 

[Bosana]

I'm withholding most comment until after the interview is broadcast, because these kind of early reports are not always accurate reflections of what was said or how the principals come across, but Andrew has a long and inglorious history of abysmal judgment, and on the surface this appears to be more of the same.

I agree with you, but I don't have to withhold comment because just the very fact that he agreed to do an interview is a big, big BIG mistake. I suppose, his arrogance convinces him that he can control the perception in some way. The clips I have seen remind me of Princess Diana's sad interview....and perhaps he thought to emulate her in some may....but he is no Princess Diana!!

 

[tommy100]

"as a member of the royal family I rarely have my photo taken with other people with my arm around them"

Happy to pull the RF role when he thinks it gives him more authority despite the fact he says he doesn't want to embarrass the RF.

 

[ACO]

Oh my god! This is actually WORSE than I expected. He doesn't seem to care. He doesn't regret anything. Wow. And the palace thought this would be a good idea. He just convinced me more than ever he knows plenty and but knows his very privileged self will be protected. Disgusting interview. What were they thinking?!!

 

[tommy100]

BBC news website with live updates for anyone who can't watch this provides running commentary and key quotes

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-50447028

Have to say, think this may prove to be a bad idea

 

[sophie25]

IMO they are sorry they got caught, and I believe that and I believe they are genuinely sorry for the fact its dragged the RF and by default HM into it. Watching the interview I get that a lot, but not much else.

Your so right, it reminds me of 'Gone with Wind,

Rhett Butler:
You're like the thief who isn't the least bit sorry he stole, but is terribly, terribly sorry he's going to jail.

Well Andrew may not be going to jail but I agree that his only regret about Epstein is the trouble the friendship is now causing him. Whether he had sex with Virginia Roberts or not he must have seen so many young unaccounted for girls in Epstein's orbit and it obviously didn't bother him. You also don't 'kick' yourself for remaining friends and staying in the house of a man who was prosecuted for procuring very young girls for prostitution. That was his own decision and he clearly had no qualms about it despite being a father of two young daughters himself. He utterly disgusts me now and always will.

 

[Andrew_Goodchild]

This is painful to watch. Whoever advised HRH to do this interview will be out of a job very shortly I would imagine.

 

[sophie25]

This is painful to watch. Whoever advised HRH to do this interview will be out of a job very shortly I would imagine.

I imagine he decided to do it himself as the pitiful statements he was puting out were cutting no ice.

 

[tommy100]

Amazingly Andrew says he last met Ghislaine Maxwell this spring at Buckingham Palace. He says it was before Epstein "was in the news".

Matlis' reaction to that sums it up IMO, incredulity.

 

[Zaira]

Andrew is a despicable man. No compassion at all. No remorse. Just pure arrogance.

What a truly disgusting interview. I am honestly at a loss for words.

 

[crm2317]

This interview has been a terrible idea, my husband and I are in shock to be honest.

Andrew says he only ever socialised with Epstein as he was the partner of his friend Ghislaine. Then why stay with him to tell him in person that they couldn’t see each other again? Wouldn’t you just tell Ghislaine- I don’t want to be anywhere near your boyfriend again.

 

[ACO]

Insanity. Also he never once denied it. He couldn't. He talked around it but never directedly denied because he can't and he knows it. Even when asked if he thought she was lying. He stuttered. My goodness.

I had reservations before with the interviewer but she did well. She let him hang himself.

 

[tommy100]

From bbc news website:

Prince Andrew interview: Key points
What we learnt from tonight’s interview with Prince Andrew

If "push came to shove" the Duke of York says he would testify over allegations regarding his conduct and his links to Jeffrey Epstein, the US financier who took his own life in August awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges
The Queen's third child admits to staying on the financier’s private island and travelling on Epstein’s private plane
The Duke of York says it was the "wrong thing to do" to stay at the convicted sex offender's home in New York
The prince says he has "no recollection of ever meeting" Virginia Roberts - now Virginia Giuffre - who says she was forced to have sex with him
He says he was at home with his children following a party at a Pizza Express restaurant on the night it is alleged he had sex with Virginia Giuffre in March 2001
"I can absolutely, categorically, tell you it never happened" the prince says when asked about allegations of having sex with Virginia Giuffre

 

[wyevale]

As catastrophic Interviews go, the Duke of York is giving the late Princess of Wales 'a run for her Money'...

#TimeToRetireFromPublicLifeSir..

 

[Zaira]

He doesn't regret his friendship with Epstein because of the doors it opened for him????

Epstein's sex slavery was simply "unbecoming"

Not one word of compassion for the victims??????


Just horrific.

As catastrophic Interviews go, the Duke of York is giving the late Princess of Wales's 'a run for her Money'...

#TimeToRetireFromPublicLifeSir..

IDK I think this has Diana beat by at least 600 country miles. Come on...

 

[tommy100]

I simply don't understand why Andrew doesn't see anything wrong in being friends with someone who was convicted of "soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution" and explaining away his attendance at Beatrice 18th birthday by saying simply he was a guest of Ghislaine and wasn't invited himself. Jeez he went on about how many people work at BP, why couldn't he get one of those to phone Ghislaine and say don't bring him if he thinks being royal doesn't allow him to do it himself.

 

[sophie25]

Amazingly Andrew says he last met Ghislaine Maxwell this spring at Buckingham Palace. He says it was before Epstein "was in the news".

Matlis' reaction to that sums it up IMO, incredulity.

I haven't seen the whole interview yet Tommy100, I am stunned if that woman was in BP this year, utterly stunned!

 

[Osipi]

I have not been able to watch the full interview as of yet but, without seeming to character assassinate Andrew, some things about the man are starting to become abundantly clear.

Its always been in the back of my mind that Andrew, being born a prince of royal blood, always had the attitude of being "entitled". This hit home for me reading about his past and I believe it was Koo Stark that related the anecdote that they were heading into some place or the other and Andrew admonished her that "I am the Prince. I go first".

Perhaps this sense of "entitlement" is Andrew's downfall overall. It puts him into situations where he is treated "like a prince" and the world is his oyster because he *is* a prince. It doesn't matter much to a man of this caliber what the other people around him are doing as long as he receives his "due" and in treated in the manner of which he is accustomed to. Perhaps he *didn't* catch onto what Epstein really was because he could see no further than what Epstein could do for him? Perhaps what Epstein could offer him stroked Andrew's sense of entitlement so much that it became like an addiction that he just couldn't stay away from? I notice too that Andrew quite often is "guest" of men in Middle Eastern countries where, of course, Andrew would be treated as the "prince" that he is.

Perhaps his sense of entitlement is coming back to bite him in the back of the front and he's realizing that there's no grandiose way out. He's going to be tagged with a reputation for the remainder of his life with people doubting his motives and not believing a word out of his mouth as it comes across so blase that he looks like a bumbling idiot not to be taken seriously at all. There's no erasing a bad reputation or being "caught" in misdeeds and mistakes and not owning up to them which is why "I can't remember" seems so flimsy of an excuse.

Epstein was caught and was to answer for his acts and couldn't face up to them and took the coward's way out (although his suicide is still in question). Andrew is floundering like a fish out of water at this time and finding there's *nothing* he can do that will make his situation look any better. Regardless of whether or not Andrew is guilty of actually sleeping with Giuffre or any of the other girls of Epstein, that's a moot point at this time. What matters most is that how Andrew has handled this whole thing has shown his "true colors" and those colors seem to wash off quickly when put into hot water.

What the future holds for Andrew is anyone's guess at this point but I do not believe that this particular "scandal" will ever be forgotten much like Henry beheading Ann Boleyn still stands out as a memento of King Henry VIII's history.

 

[crm2317]

Amazingly Andrew says he last met Ghislaine Maxwell this spring at Buckingham Palace. He says it was before Epstein "was in the news".

Matlis' reaction to that sums it up IMO, incredulity.

Yes, but apparently they didn’t discuss Epstein at all. Yeah right! Does he think people are stupid?

My husband (who knows very little about the royal family) was saying to me “why isn’t he angry about what his so called friend has done?”
Why was Andrew not appalled, horrified, disgusted?!
How can he sit there and dance around the topic and say he met lots of important people through Epstein?
Why would he stay with him for 4 days just to tell him they couldn’t be friends anymore? Andrew could stay anywhere in New York if he felt such a strong need to tell him to his face.
He remembers where he was on a random night 22 years ago because he was at Pizza Express?

So much of this interview is going to backfire, he has left a terrible impression.

 

[csw]

What a pathetic man. How can he say he is "too honourable?"

 

[wyevale]

Whilst he [like anyone else] is 'innocent until PROVEN guilty'. in the court of Public opinion he is Toast.. and someone must persuade him to retire [and SOON], for the good of the family and institution of which he is a part..
This will be profoundly difficult for HMQ, but is essential.. The Prince of Wales [with whom there 'is no love lost'] will see to it, PDQ...

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

I can't believe people are still defending Andrew at this point or believe that he is totally innocent in this. In my mind this interview made him look even more guilty - it would be interesting to get a body language expert's analysis on this. His excuses were poor at the least - if I got a pound coin for the amount of times Andrew said that he didn't know in this interview, I'd be rich. And as for his "condition", what is that, sociopathy? Because he didn't have an ounce of remorse or apology for the victims

He's always been my least favourite of HM's children; but now I dislike him even more. A nasty piece of work.

 

[sophie25]

I can't believe people are still defending Andrew at this point or believe that he is totally innocent in this. In my mind this interview made him look even more guilty - it would be interesting to get a body language expert's analysis on this. His excuses were poor at the least - if I got a pound coin for the amount of times Andrew said that he didn't know in this interview, I'd be rich. And as for his "condition", what is that, sociopathy? Because he didn't have an ounce of remorse or apology for the victims

He's always been my least favourite of HM's children; but now I dislike him even more. A nasty piece of work.

You just about summed it up.

 

[Osipi]

I can't claim to be a body language expert at all but being hearing impaired and taught from a child to study faces and read lips, usually I can get a good "feel" of a person's statements just from watching their faces and their expressions overall. Like eye movement, hesitations, searching for words at times and things like that. Andrew did *not* come across good at all from the blips I've seen of him and that interview. I'll see more when I can watch the interview in its entirety.

In my opinion (and it is *just* my opinion), there was nothing open and honest and even any kind of an attempt by Andrew to "set the record straight with the truth" but a lot of hesitations, sounding like he's been well rehearsed on what he would say to various questions and a lot of skirting around issues without directly answering the question. Its as he honestly believes that he didn't do anything wrong at all and if he did, there was never going to be any admission that he could actually be "at fault". The "I can't remember" statement just underlined, to me, that he was avoiding actually stating a truth and just blatantly dismissing any claims to the effect that he couldn't be accused of "lying" outright but gave a very non-committal answer.

Its my opinion that Andrew made a huge mistake doing this interview and presenting himself the way he did. It actually makes him look *worse* than before than do any good to clear his name and reputation. As someone said, he put all his bets on red and the winner came up black".

I do not feel sorry for Andrew whatsoever and at this point, whether or not he actually is proven guilty of a "crime" in a court of law doesn't really matter. He's been given the rope and he's hung himself with that interview. Reputation suicide is what I'd call it.