Andrew's Latest Move Is a 'Masterclass' in How Not to Handle a Public Scandal, Says Expert
Royal expert Rebecca English criticized Andrew's nonchalant attitude as deeply disrespectful to his alleged victims.
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's Epstein association has cast a long shadow over the royal family, one that the Firm is still reeling from. Following the release of the latest tranche of Epstein files, King Charles reportedly reached a breaking point, ordering his brother to vacate Royal Lodge with immediate effect. Interestingly, on the same morning of his departure, Mountbatten-Windsor was photographed smiling and waving at onlookers while horse riding. Unsurprisingly, royal expert Rebecca English criticized his nonchalant attitude as deeply disrespectful to his alleged victims, dubbing it a 'masterclass' in how not to handle a public scandal.
See? Look at me riding in freedom at my family's vast estate. Nobody can touch me. Prince Andrew out riding without a care on the world today These are the Windsors. The Royals. They don't care. Beatrice and her daughter were riding with him. No shame no accountability. https://t.co/V2Q8DpcmVH
— Nina (@ShakeLS) February 2, 2026
In an op-ed for the Daily Mail, English pointedly blasted Mountbatten-Windsor's refusal to keep a low profile during his final weeks at Royal Lodge. She also criticized his complete unwillingness to acknowledge the many victims in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, proving that his so-called ignorance shows exactly how not to handle a public scandal. She sneered, "He [Andrew] has even been seen gurning and waving brazenly from his car to passers-by, in what was described to me as one of those moments 'you just want to whack your head on the desk.' 'Appalling optics,' another in royal circles remarked." Indeed, the former Prince can ill afford further scrutiny, and waving to onlookers as though he were still a working royal without serious allegations against him does little to help his case.
However, the royal expert claimed that Mountbatten-Windsor may find loopholes to stay at Royal Lodge to tie up 'loose ends,' as the renovations at his new 'shoebox-sized' residence, Marsh Farm, remain ongoing. She explained, "He [Andrew] is currently in temporary residence at Prince Philip's old home, Wood Farm, until his new, relatively modest abode, Marsh Farm, is ready. It is hoped this will be complete by early April." She asserted that despite being stripped of his titles, he remains a member of the royal family, and the demands for him to account for his controversial friendship with Epstein are only growing.
Expressing sympathy for the royal family, English noted their only way to regain credibility is to focus on their duties, or what she described as their 'business.' She stressed, "I have been told that it has been 'upsetting' to see their daily good works overshadowed by the scandal, although they clearly all acknowledge the level of public interest and anger. Sources have told me pointedly that 'providing testimony is now a matter for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his conscience.'" She continued, "Remarkably, they have been learning the full gruesome details of Andrew's behavior in recent months in 'real time' along with the rest of the British public."
Likewise, royal author Andrew Lownie has also opined that Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson have cultivated a culture of deception, refusing to take any accountability. Commenting on the recent batch of files, he told the Daily Mail, "They lie even about things they don't need to lie about. So, I'm afraid their reputations are absolutely in the dust. Neither of them can ever recover from what's been emerging."
If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)
