How King Charles ‘Escalated’ Palace Response to Andrew After Becoming The Monarch
EXCLUSIVE: Sam McAlister notes that The King took more action with his brother after Queen Elizabeth II passed away
DUE to his alleged association with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has almost spectacularly fallen from grace.
He was previously thought to have been The Late Queen’s ‘favourite son’, but following his disastrous interview with BBC Newsnight in 2019, he largely stepped away from royal duties. Since then, the Department of Justice in the US has released hundreds of documents relating to Epstein. Despite previously claiming to cut off contact with the disgraced financier in 2010, emails appeared to suggest the royal was communicating with Epstein well into 2011.
The King later announced his intention to strip his brother of all his royal titles and honours in an unprecedented move. Andrew was also served notice to vacate his long-time 30-room 19th century residence, Royal Lodge, located in Windsor Great Park. Sam McAlister was the TV producer who secured the high-profile interview for the BBC, a tale later dramatized in an Emmy nominated film on Netflix titled Scoop.
Speaking to The Royal Observer, she suggested that The King has ‘escalated’ action against his brother after their mother passed away in 2022. “That, in a sense, the defenestration, the removal of the status where he lived, the public office, mixing with the public, doing events, being removed from certain ceremonies, and a conversation around what happens when he when he passes away and what that funeral will look like. It's been a gradual removal,” she told me.
“Some people will say it's not enough, but there certainly has been an escalation that was palpable after the Queen passed away and King Charles took over. Who seemed to take this more not seriously, but he seemed to do more.“ Andrew was subsequently arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, relating to his role as UK trade envoy from 2001 until 2011. He strongly denies all allegations of wrongdoing during his tenure as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.
Bestselling author Sam believes that stripping Andrew of the very Prince Title and his long-time Duke of York peerage has only seemed to have made The King more popular with the public. Although she says this may have been due to his high-profile state visit to the US and joint address to Congress, she suggests that the monarchy has learned lessons from the saga.
“His popularity ratings, I understand, have increased quite exponentially since the visit by President Trump, which also coincided during the period where Andrew was arrested, although not charged," she remarked. “I think they probably have learnt some lessons in terms of how they should have perhaps responded more firmly, more quickly … But I think most people would think that some tangible things have been done.”
Certainly there has been a marked escalation since he took over the throneSam McAlister
Following his move from Windsor, Andrew temporarily stayed at his father’s old home, Wood Farm in Norfolk, before taking up permanent residence in the nearby Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate. “But ultimately, this is not a man who lives in destitution,” McAlister pointed out. “This is not a man who has faced a criminal trial, maybe he will, maybe he won't. But for some people, it's not going to be enough.”
She added: “But that is not within, if you like, the power of King Charles and certainly there has been a marked escalation since he took over the throne." Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor denies any and all allegations of criminal wrongdoing.
