Andrew’s one word to Epstein could just be the final straw | Royal

When it comes to our Royals and politicians, Brits will absolve almost anything – but Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor may discover he’s said the one thing we never forgive. Andrew has endured a near Biblical fall from grace since emails last October proved his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein secretly endured, despite his Newsnight claims to have cut off ties after a 2010 New York visit.

‘Prince Andrew‘ ‘Duke of York’, became just 66-year-old ‘Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’ – he lost his military honours, all his titles and more recently his 31-room Royal Lodge mansion home, in Windsor. Last month he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, relating to his trade envoy role and claims he passed confidential information to Epstein. He denies any wrongdoing.

Politicians and royals can make mistakes and errors of judgment – and while one minute an MP resigns the cabinet in disgrace, the next he or she is back with a bang and it’s all water under Westminster Bridge.

Britons, on the whole, are an incredibly forgiving bunch after all.

Some politicians push that pardoning spirit too far – just ask Lord Peter Mandelson. He’s had more political lives than Humphrey the Downing Street cat.

Many of his rich and famous friends were either fooled by US financier Epstein or too dazzled by his power to notice the warning signs. Britons again can forgive that too, in time.

But new emails revealing how a jubilant Andrew offered to meet Epstein, at the end of his sentence for procuring a 14-year-old schoolgirl for prostitution, to pay “homage” to him … now that’s a new level of disgraceful behaviour.

Andrew told Epstein his freedom in 2010 was “really, really good news” and quickly began discussing multi-billion-pound deals and meeting younger women.

Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in jail in 2008, but only served 13 months before being released in July 2009, and ordered to then serve a year’s probation until August 2010.

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In an email sent to Andrew and his ex-wife Fergie on July 24, 2010, Epstein revealed his joy at serving his probation, allowing him to finally travel abroad, telling them: “I will be in Paris starting tomorrow.”

Andrew replied: “Congratulations! Really, really good news. If you are in Paris around the 16th I’ll be across to pay homage to your new life ahead!” Andrew signed the email off with ‘HRH The Duke of York KG’.

Around two weeks later, Epstein arranged for Andrew to meet a 26-year-old Russian model.

Describing the woman to Andrew, Epstein says: “She 26 russian clever (sic) beautiful trustworthy and yes she has your email.” Andrew replied: “How are you? Good to be free?”

“Congratulations?” “Really, really good news?” This is a paedophile serving his sentence for trying to abuse a child.

But the most damning statement of all must be Andrew’s thrill at paying “homage” to the self-confessed millionaire pervert. “Homage?”

Brits will forgive almost anything, but not that.

‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’

‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’