The Prince and Princess of Wales will have the task of rebuilding the \u201cintegrity of the royal family\u201d damaged by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor\u2019s friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, a PR expert has suggested.<\/p>\n
William and Kate, as the future of the monarchy, will in years to come need to set out their vision for the institution, now in crisis following the Epstein scandal that simmered for years and finally resulted in Andrew\u2019s arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office.<\/p>\n
Public relations and crisis consultant\u00a0Mark\u00a0Borkowski said the couple faced the question of \u201chow do they establish the integrity of the royal family?\u201d.<\/p>\n
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He added: \u201cReally, what do William and Kate do? What do their generation do with the crown, with all its soft power, its affairs of state, it\u2019s beginning to feel a little bit like a European monarchy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pressure on William to communicate what the royal family is going to be over the next 50 years falls squarely on his shoulders.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe heavy weight of this burden on the royal family\u2019s reputation lies with William and Kate and what they\u2019re going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
William has already said \u201cchange is on my agenda\u201d when he comes to the throne but he may have to open himself and the monarchy up to greater scrutiny as long-held attitudes towards the royal family die out.<\/p>\n
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The couple have been in lockstep with the King\u2019s decisions to distant the royal family from Andrew, with Charles first stripping his brother of his titles last year and then issuing an emphatic statement a few hours after his arrest on Thursday which stated \u201cthe law must take its course\u201d.<\/p>\n
Public opinion is all-important, with the authority of the monarchy ultimately founded on the support and goodwill of ordinary men and women.<\/p>\n
The deference towards members of the monarchy, who live in palaces, are chauffeured to events and have personal fortunes, has persisted for centuries and arguably helps sustain them.<\/p>\n
Broadcaster David Dimbleby, who recently presented the BBC documentary series What\u2019s the Monarchy For? said about some members of the royal family: \u201cWell they behave like people who are spoiled by entitlement.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Speaking on BBC Radio 4\u2019s World At One programme on Friday, he added: \u201cNot all of them, Princess Anne, a paragon of virtue, wonderful, it\u2019s not universal.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut they\u2019re lost in that world, nobody\u2019s saying \u2018come on pull yourselves together, do this, do that\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The events of the past few days could see MPs and peers formally discussing the issues around Andrew\u2019s friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n
Labour peer Lord Foulkes told the World at One:\u00a0\u201cI think there is now a clear expectation that there ought to be much more scrutiny.\u201d<\/p>\n
The politician said he has contacted MP Liam Byrne, chairman of the Business and Trade Commons Select Committee to \u201clook\u201d into Andrew\u2019s work as a trade envoy but conceded it may be difficult now the police are investigating.<\/p>\n