He and his team were determined to focus on the reason they were in Brazil, and were able to breeze through the week without any significant new developments about his uncle – up until Thursday, when William delivered his most powerful speech yet at COP30.
Just as aides were breathing a sigh of relief that his Earthshot Prize hadn’t been overshadowed, the US Congress announced that it was summoning Andrew to give evidence over his links to Epstein.
Broadcasters in Brazil suddenly had to shift the focus to the disgraced royal, and the former prince was once again back on the front pages.
There’s a general acknowledgement that the announcement is simply a case of grandstanding by US politicians, especially given that some high-profile names in America have yet to face the same scrutiny that Andrew and former US Ambassador Lord Mandelson have faced.
It is wholly unlikely that Andrew will travel stateside for the official interview, but by requesting it, the congressional committee has thrust Andrew right back into the spotlight.
Up until then, royal sources said the prince was “really pleased” with how the Earthshot ceremony went on Wednesday night, including his three days of engagements leading up to that point.
But following the fresh Andrew bombshell, they were reluctant to comment.
As someone who has been following William’s trip in Brazil with him, he successfully turned the focus away from his uncle.
The prince, who mingled with pop princess Kylie Minogue and played volleyball on the beach, was able to leave the drama behind and refocus attention on what the Royal Family hopes to achieve through its work in the UK and around the world.
With the stunning scenery of Rio as his backdrop, William was able to bring some sunshine to a tumultuous few weeks for the Firm.
And when asked about the “changes” his family has faced recently during a fireside chat, William sidestepped the question and brought the focus back to the environment.
It was a very public display of what he and his team had hoped to achieve, no drama and a clear attempt to move on from one of the worst royal scandals in living memory.
‘ 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 ’
