Your article (Prince Andrew’s fall from grace complete as monarchy cuts him loose, 17 October) reflects a wider narrative that portrays the removal of Prince Andrew’s titles as a bold, moral act by the royal family, as though it resolves “the problem of Andrew”. In reality, it is far too little, far too late.
The posthumous publication of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir, along with further revelations from the Jeffrey Epstein files, expose the full extent of Andrew’s actions. Despite his denials, he continued his relationship with Epstein after Epstein’s release from prison, writing: “It would seem we are in this together … keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”
Virginia’s memoir describes in harrowing detail the trafficking and sexual abuse of vulnerable girls – children living in poverty, in care or homeless. If Andrew were a Pakistani-heritage taxi driver from Rotherham, public calls for criminal investigation and imprisonment would be overwhelming. But he is a royal, a prince.
He has not been cut loose. King Charles allows his alleged-child-sexual-abuser brother to live in a 30-room mansion on the Windsor estate. The late queen reportedly helped her son pay millions to settle a claim with his victim while maintaining the fiction that he had never met her. It is obvious the monarchy acted only to protect its reputation, power and wealth. Meanwhile, Virginia, like so many victims, took her own life.
Truly cutting him loose would mean removing every financial privilege, donating millions to survivor organisations, and cooperating fully with UK and US authorities to ensure criminal investigations and accountability.
Prof Harry Ferguson
Emeritus professor of social work, University of Birmingham
The MP Rachael Maskell asks for “a lot of clarity” over the £12m Prince Andrew paid to Virginia Giuffre. While many will doubtless be aware of Andrew’s protestations of innocence, of his inability to perspire, of his ignorance of the precise location of the bar in Tramp, and of his well-known dining arrangements at Pizza Express in Woking, I am sure just as many anticipate with interest his explanation of why he paid this vast sum to a woman he had never met for something he hadn’t done.
Eddie Duggan
Ipswich, Suffolk
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.theguardian.com ’
