King Charles Urged to Make Three Bold Moves to Put the Andrew Saga to Rest
Royal biographer Andrew Lownie warns that the monarchy’s credibility is at stake, urging King Charles to take decisive action against his brother.
Prince Andrew has caused the monarchy serious damage, and those at the helm of affairs, including King Charles and Prince William, are understandably frustrated. Although they have taken the first step to distance Andrew from the Firm for good, an expert has noted that it's not enough. He has suggested three bold moves that would be required, a narrow window to restore the Crown’s credibility. Andrew Lownie, the author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of The Yorks, who dissected the former Duke of York’s downfall, believes the monarchy can still contain the damage, but what is required is decisive leadership.
Speaking on Channel 5’s 5 Days That Brought Down Prince Andrew, he argues that “if the monarchy gets a grip, if he leaves Royal Lodge, if he loses his titles properly, including that of prince, and he goes into a form of exile," then the situation can be 'saved.' To put it in simpler words, the only way to steady the ship is to cut the dead weight.
Andrew, 65, recently announced that he will no longer use his Duke of York title, admitting that “continued accusations about [him] distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.” However, according to Lownie, the Prince of Wales, and several other experts, this may not be enough. The release of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Girl, and the resurfacing of old emails have reignited public anger over his past associations with Jeffrey Epstein.
Lownie calls it a 'very dangerous moment' for the Crown, one where silence could easily be mistaken for complicity. He has a point to make, stating, ‘half measures won’t cut it.’ Others agree that the damage is far from contained. Veteran royal commentator Daisy McAndrew echoed that the scandals surrounding Andrew have been 'incredibly damaging' for the King, whose reign has already faced its share of turbulence. “Charles waited to be King longer than any other heir to the throne,” she said. “He’s in his mid-70s, he’s living with cancer, and his reign has been overshadowed by his younger brother’s scandals.”
However, it must be pointed out that removing Andrew’s titles is not as simple as it sounds. It would require parliamentary approval, a bureaucratic and highly public process the Palace would rather avoid. “The last thing that the King wants is to go to Parliament,” she said. “It would be extremely humiliating and embarrassing for the royal family because, in my opinion, all the MPs would vote it through," said historian and constitutional expert Kate Williams.
While the constitutional wrangling continues, Andrew remains firmly installed at Royal Lodge, the sprawling 30-room Windsor estate he shares with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. The couple has reportedly lived rent-free since 2008, a detail that hasn’t gone unnoticed by taxpayers. Negotiations are said to be ongoing about his future living arrangements, with reports suggesting that Andrew has requested Frogmore Cottage, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s former home, as a potential alternative for him, and Adelaide Cottage for Fergie.
