Ex-Prince Andrew Gets Offered Refuge At a Scottish Castle — But It Doesn't End Too Well
A barrister-businesswoman has explained that Andrew had her sympathies over being 'hounded unfairly', which is why she extended him refuge.
When most doors appeared to be closing around 'disgraced' Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, including from his own family, one opened — briefly, and unexpectedly — in the Scottish Highlands, and from an ally he would never expect. The gesture caught royal observers off guard — and, by most accounts, may have surprised the former Prince just as much.
Amid intensifying legal scrutiny and public condemnation, a British barrister stepped forward to offer the embattled ex-Prince royal refuge at her castle. Lady Carbisdale, also known as Samantha Kane, said she believed he was being 'hounded unfairly' and suggested a remote retreat that would offer him breathing space away from relentless headlines. Her sympathies came when Mountbatten-Windsor was, in fact, going through turbulent times.
Mountbatten-Windsor had already been stripped of his royal titles and military roles following his association with convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein. He was also required to vacate Royal Lodge, the Windsor residence he had called home for roughly two decades. Matters escalated further last week when, on his 66th birthday, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office following renewed scrutiny linked to the latest Epstein file disclosures. He was released under investigation after 11 hours at Aylsham Police Station.
It was in this stormy weather that the lady extended her invitation, reportedly after the King accelerated Mountbatten-Windsor’s move from Royal Lodge to the Sandringham Estate. Her move obviously triggered backlash, prompting her to withdraw it. Even so, she did not retreat from her broader position. Speaking to the Daily Express, the 66-year-old businesswoman said: “I continue to have sympathy for the former Prince Andrew.”
She elaborated her stance on it, saying it was not an endorsement of her behavior, but about the principle, in her conversation. “This is a man who has lost everything. Ultimately, humanity must assert its rights, and people must understand that we are all subject to human error.” Lady Carbisdale also questioned whether any potential prosecution could unfold impartially under the current conditions. “I'm not sure whether his prosecution will amount to anything. To start with, it will be impossible for him to have a fair hearing against the backdrop of the ubiquitous negative publicity surrounding his character, and it will damage the Royal Family and its standing around the world.”
As per her, she was doing a great deed by offering a practical solution by sheltering Mountbatten-Windsor from a reputational crisis. “For this reason, I thought Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was more suited to be offered a remote retreat, to allow this matter to come to a close. My motive was to do my part for King and Country, and as one human to another.”
Earlier in November, the barrister had also shared that her stance is rooted in legality and principle. “I’ve defended many people … and I always have this presumption of innocence,” she said. Referring to Mountbatten-Windsor, she added, “Everybody is treating him like he’s some sort of convicted criminal, which, of course, he is not.”
