It’s fascinating to see how quickly stories about Prince Andrew – genuine exclusives, with real “reporting” – are getting buried by the British papers. While the stories are published, they rarely make it to the “trending” or “top stories” tabs. People might even have to Google “Prince Andrew” to actually find the top stories about him. Speaking of, Reuters (via The Independent) confirmed with American federal prosecutors that Andrew is a “person of interest” in the still-ongoing Jeffrey Epstein investigation. While Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial starts in a few months, there are still multiple avenues of investigation, especially if and when Maxwell begins to name names. Prosecutors still want to interview Prince Andrew and he is, at best, a “potential witness.” A source in the office of the US Attorney SDNY told Reuters: “He doesn’t seem to want to talk to us.” It’s true. He thinks he can just issue a statement to the SDNY and that’s that. Meanwhile, would it surprise you to learn that Andrew is having a jolly old time at Balmoral?
Prince Andrew is to keep silent about the sex allegations against him and is said to be relaxed about the lawsuit he faces. The Duke of York, 61, “has no intention” of changing course and is not sweating on Virginia Giuffre’s civil action launched last week, a pal says.
The friend in London said: “He has been cheerful and relaxed at Balmoral. His legal team always expected this and have prepared. They advised the Duke to keep calm and carry on and he is taking their advice.”
Virginia, 38, claims Andrew sexually abused her three times when she was under age, which he vehemently denies. Andrew, who told the BBC’s Newsnight that he could not have been “sweating profusely” while with her — as has been claimed — due to a medical condition, has two weeks to respond to the complaint. Questions have been asked about his legal strategy, with Princes Charles and William said to fear damage to the monarchy. Royal sources called the response by Andrew’s team a “s***-show”.
But the pal said: “The legal process could go on for years but that’s not his fault. He will respond if required to by law, as he has always said. His lawyers saw what happened with the Newsnight interview and think it’s best he says as little as possible.”
I actually believe that Andrew has been cheerful and relaxed. This is man who knows that mummy will come to his rescue no matter what. He’s probably having a grand old time with mummy and Fergie and Eugenie. I kind of doubt there are even really “crisis talks” happening within the family. Now, the courtiers might be having crisis talks. The lawyers might be having crisis talks too! Speaking of, someone leaked Andrew’s legal strategy:
Prince Andrew’s legal team could try to get sex abuse allegations against him by a victim of Jeffrey Epstein thrown out of court by saying he had diplomatic immunity because he was a trade envoy at the time, it has been claimed. Top US lawyer Spencer Kuvin suggested that Andrew’s legal team may claim the Duke of York – who was a trade envoy in 2001, when Virginia Giuffre alleges that he raped and sexually abused her – had immunity in America.
The Duke held the role of ‘special representative for international trade and investment’ for the UK for a decade from 2001 until 2011, after taking it up when he left active military service in the Royal Navy. This means Andrew could be protected under the 1978 Diplomatic Relations Act in the US because he was working for the UK Government in America at the time – and not because he is a member of the Royal Family.
The case alleges that he sexually abused Ms Giuffre – then known as Virginia Roberts – at Epstein’s properties in New York and the US Virgin Islands, and at the home of Epstein’s girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell in London.
Mr Kuvin told the Mirror: ‘Ms Giuffre’s lawyers have huge barriers to overcome to get her lawsuit anywhere near a jury. If the Duke engages in the case at all, his legal team will undoubtedly file a motion to dismiss the complaint on numerous different grounds. For sure, they would argue diplomatic immunity. They would have a strong case.’
Is this really a strong defense? I think it’s A defense and one which Andrew’s team will probably try to use. Andrew was “trade envoy” from 2001 through 2011, and those were the “Air Miles Andy” years, where he did f–k all but travel around on private jets and party with rich people, all while billing British taxpayers. Does he really want to use that as his defense?
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.
He will use whatever technicality he can use. Nobody is marching the streets asking his HRH to be removed or him to be arrested. Nobody influential is calling him out.
This should be the only royal story out right now. The only one. Instead the brain trust on some other sites are saying H&M planted the Netflix with the Keens story yesterday.
The crown is actively protecting a pedo in real time on full view of the media and we got multiple breaking news stories about SILs collaborating on a docu about a nonexistent nonprofit.
Agreed.
The crown, UK media and UK establishment are protecting him. Disgusting.
This times 1000! Andrew is relaxed because he is a sociopath who thinks he can rape underaged trafficked girls and get away with it. The only royal story the British press should care about
I’m not sure there’s retroactive diplomatic immunity. I’m not up on diplomatic law but I don’t think it matters because he’s being sued now. If Andrew goes through with that defense he will further damage the reputation of the monarchy and the UK Government. As for him happy and relaxed at Balmoral, I have no doubt that he is. He has the protection of the Palace and the press and mummy has the money to pay damages if he loses the case.
Diplomatic immunity is forever. Andrew will use it and most likely he will succeed. Decades ago a diplomat killed two pedestrians in DC while drunk driving and successfully asserted his diplomatic immunity to avoid prosecution.
If diplomatic immunity is such an obvious legal loophole, David Boies has to have considered it being employed as a response by Andrew’s team. The other cases of diplomatic immunity being cited here are for loss of life cases. Andrew’s is a civil case, and I wonder if the rules are different and easier for Boies to argue against.
Yeah, nothing screams “I didn’t do anything” like using “diplomatic immunity” as your main line of defense. FFS! I seriously hope that he actually has to face up to what he did.
I mean, any lawyer with a grain of sense would agree with this part:
“His lawyers saw what happened with the Newsnight interview and think it’s best he says as little as possible.”
I feel like diplomatic immunity would be a really bad defense, PR wise. Even based on working for the UK government, it would absolutely come across as “royals are above the law.” It would absolutely give the impression that if royals are traveling “for work” then rules and laws no longer apply to them. People aren’t going to care about the difference between being a trade envoy and just a regular old prince. PR wise, its going to be a disaster in my opinion, especially as it doesn’t get into the heart of the allegations. It would seem like Andrew is saying “who cares if I did it or not, you can’t sue me anyway.”
That’s just……bad. Even if the defense works in the court of law, it would be a disaster for the royals. in my opinion.
I’m not gonna get into the substance/viability of the arguments because no coffee yet. But, you know what would be great in the process of Andrew claiming diplomatic immunity? If a high ranking member of the UK government submitted an affidavit declaring under oath that Andrew was there in a diplomatic capacity. Better still, if Elizabeth submitted an affidavit (or would it be a royal decree?) with all her extravagant seals confirming that he was in the US as a diplomat.
That would put the UK government in an extremely awkward position to essentially come out and shield the sweaty nonce, or perhaps even damage the unassailable reputation of Elizabeth that she’s willing to swear in court that dearest Andrew was working as a diplomat so he can avoid a civil suit in the US. Maybe that’s what the talks were about. How much is Liz willing to put on the line to protect her favorite son. I’d wager a lot, and then it can be Charles’ problem to deal with the mess his mother left him.
Ugh, Andrew’s lawyers are going to submit motions to file everything under seal. Hope the judge denies all those motions. Would love to read all the briefs and exhibits in full.
And in my fantasy, this would lead to the Windsors and Cambridges becoming international pariahs, causing the BM to beg for Harry’s return, causing Harry to be like “I aint touching that with a f-ckin transatlantic pole,” and then open season on William!
Exactly – if they pursue the diplomatic immunity route (having no clue whether or not it would actually be successful, thats far from my wheelhouse, lol) its going to put a lot of pressure on the UK government and on the queen and it could really damage her reputation like you said. It just seems like even if it is successful as a response/defense, its going to be unsuccessful in a lot of other ways, so to speak.
My question would be exactly what “diplomatic” issue and trade he was promoting with Epstein? A man who trafficked children?? What was Britain looking to trade with Mr. Epstein? I think if he was working as a trade envoy on behalf of the British government and people that the trade deals he was promoting with Epstein and Maxwell should be made public by the government.
I’ve lived in DC for almost 30 years and have seen first hand how diplomats are entirely above the law. They can’t even be issued a parking ticket.
@Mac – did you ever watch West Wing? There’s this one scene where the Secretary General of the UN keeps calling Bartlett because diplomats keep getting parking tickets outside the UN and I think the cars get towed or something and Bartlett loses it on the Sec-General and just rants away and then Charlie is like, “well that was his secretary sir.” whoops.
People doing serious crimes then sliding out of the country under protection of DI is not unusual.
Diplomatic immunity is actually quite a hot topic in the UK at the moment because the wife of an America CIA operative with diplomatic immunity, Anne Sacoolas, ran over a teenager while driving on the wrong side of the road, left him to die in the road, and fled the country the next day. Harry Dunn’s parents have been campaigning for a long time to get her diplomatic immunity lifted so she can be prosecuted although neither Trump nor Biden were willing to do that. So Andrew claiming diplomatic immunity to avoid rape and sex trafficking charges is going to go down in the UK like a cup of cold sick, never mind how it plays to the rest of the world.
Right, exactly, that story has gotten a lot of coverage over here as well so I’m familiar with it. It’s just going to make Andrew’s defense of diplomatic immunity that much more of a disaster in the public eye, regardless of what happens in court.
(of course we don’t know that he’s going to claim diplomatic immunity, maybe he won’t.)
Well I mean the UK government and the monarchy have a lot to lose, but what does Andrew have to lose by putting the claim forward? Nothing, I’d wager. Elizabeth could be setting up a huge trust fund and writing up 100 year leases for him to live in wherever it is he lives as we speak so his future’s financially secure.
Does Elizabeth even care about the Jubilee that the courtiers and Charles are hand-wringing over? As many have pointed out, she could be dead before then. She’s recently lost her husband, love of her life. And her favorite son is under threat, one whom she’s protected all her life past the point of rationality.
With the soft Charles regency, she very well may be all “I will go down with this ship (named beloved son Andrew, and f-ck you dearest Charles, I never loved you).”
Thats’s what I was thinking. Timing wise this is NOT the moment to go down this path as people who would potentially otherwise happily hum god save the queen are angry that a teenager was killed by a woman that the police can’t touch for this very reason. I imagine most people in this country would recognise a picture of Harry Dunn at this point.
@LaraW – yeah if Andrew succeeds on a claim of diplomatic immunity then that’s good for him, even if it damages the monarchy, the government, etc. Maybe that’s why the courtiers are so ticked that his lawyers aren’t talking to them.
I think trying to claim diplomatic immunity would be an absolute disaster PR wise, both for Andrew and the RF. But at the same time I suspect it is the best option for Andrew because his lawyers obviously want to do anything they can to keep him from having to testify (for obvious reasons – a combination of him being guilty, and him further incriminating himself like he did on Newsnight).
If they succeed in claiming diplomatic immunity, that’s the end of public life for Andrew.
Whichever way it goes, it’s a disaster for the RF. Oh well.
Becks, I agree with everything you said.
I do suspect that he travels on a diplomatic passport. The thing is, his home country can prosecute him once they are aware of the crimes, if they so choose. Not choosing to do so would look sooooo bad. Further, I’m not sure if he is exempt from immunity when not specifically posted to US, or because attending s*x parties with minors wouldn’t be an official event. You bet I’d be trying to cite the Magna Carta in submissions and including a heading that says “rule of law is a thing, Liz” every chance I got lol (joking:))
The royal family better plunk down some cash to get the populace lobotomies. The rest of the world is aghast.
They will need more than lobotomies to make us forget about Paedrew.
“ is not sweating on Virginia Giuffre’s civil action launched last week,” Of course he isn’t, he fought in the Falklands, remember??
Of course he’s not worried. He knows he most likely will get away with it. No one is calling him out. There’s hardly any hard hitting news reporting and articles written demanding justice. HM continue to breathe and therefore are getting much more coverage. Odds are his “diplomatic immunity” defense will work and he’ll just carry on.
He will be persona non grata everywhere else in the world. He will be shunned in his country’s aristocratic circles. But worst of all to him, he will not get his birthday bells.
Shunned by aristo circles?
No. Those are Epstein’s clientele.
Discretion is everything. There’s nothing discreet about Andrew now.
He will never travel outside the UK again. I kind of enjoy the thought of Air Miles Andy having his wings clipped!
So now it’s going to be Andrew did it but he has diplomatic immunity? IDK, but will an American judge look at Andrew’s friendship with a known pedophile with no diplomatic connections and say, “Oh, okay, never mind then?”
And yes, the Yorks are happy. It’s their first summer vacay at Balmoral without Philip and Fergie gets to stay at the main house for as long as she wants.
I say let him claim diplomatic immunity and then let the investigation start into how his work benefited himself, his friends, everyone except for the British people who were footing the bill.
Huh, that first piece from The Sun sounds like they think Andrew’s guilty. He’s not “sweating” the civil action – and then they repeat his ludicrous claim that he can’t sweat to remind the readers of the disastrous BBC interview. Which leads to the idea that he can cheerfully continue to sponge off Mummy for years.
Please Virginia, take his arrogant ass down. Hopefully the entire monarchy will follow. And the near-silence of the BM and establishment amounts to a tacit defense of their pedophile prince, if you ask me.
If they pull out diplomatic immunity at this very late date and after years and filled with hour of billable work to get him to respond and cooperate I hope it leads to expelling diplomats from Britain we can’t in good faith have the abuse of the diplomatic immunity privilege to be used after the fact. If he landed on USA soil it should have been recorded ahead of time if he came into the country under the protection of diplomatic immunity by customs.
Also immunity does not stop her or her legal team from putting the evidence out for the public, especially after the Maxwell trial. I expect what is public now is just the tip of a huge iceberg.
Sorry for the word jumble edit of my previous post..
Summary of my point, is this investigation has been going on for years! That is a lot of hiding by PA and billable hours by legal teams on both sides of the Atlantic not to mention the disrespect to authorities and victims in the USA by not responding to requests for a statement or cooperation in an ongoing investigation by authorities when you have Immunity!
It seems to me that USA customs would keep records on people who enter the USA under these credentials.
I for one would like to know what business the “TRADE envoy” of the UK was fostering with Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell. What were they “trading” with the UK that was so important to political power that it involved diplomatic immunity?
I truthfully am sick that this story is so quickly being downplayed and distorted instead of investigated by serious journalists.
Anything that is not ” Virginia Giuffre wins X millions; Prince Andrew on the most wanted list.” will be spun as a victory by the RR.
No matter what the world thinks, no matter how obviously guilty Andrew is, they will continue to try and bury the stories because protecting the establishment and enabling the English apathy is their number one priority, even if Charles hates his brother and William wants Andrew´s houses/titles. Charles might think to himself ” I sacrificed enough already!” because he is a perpetual victim and the only thing he cares right now is sitting on that throne.
@ModeratelyWealthy your first sentence nails it.
That’s the thing…I can’t even be hopeful because the BRF is like Teflon. People are saying how damaging it would be, but the accusations against Andrew *have* been damaging the monarchy for years, yet nothing ever changes for them. They never suffer any consequences, or have any downgrades in their standard of living. Embarrassment is the worst they have to endure.
I’m an American so what I think obviously doesn’t matter, but I cannot understand why the British people didn’t abolish the monarchy a long time ago. I understand that it’s extremely complicated, but the amount of money these people get is not insignificant (and we know they’re hiding a lot more, offshore and god knows where else).
They’ve caused so many scandals, and we know how corrupt and useless they are. It’s like, what will it take to get people fed up to the point where the majority wants to dismantle it? I would like to think that using taxpayer money to settle Andrew’s case should do it, but they would probably just wait it out and weather it like they do everything else. Eventually people forget and move on, and that’s what they count on.
Andrew very possibly may drive his mother to her grave sooner rather than later. Diplomatic Immunity is such bullsh!t. It’s a disgrace that the Dunn family isn’t receiving any justice because of that nonsense law and it would be a disgrace if Andrew uses it and prevails in court. But I’m glad he’s having a fun and relaxing vacation.
This is spin, smoke and mirrors. The UK public is outraged by claims of diplomatic immunity regarding the death of Harry Dunn, so you can bet your bottom dollar we are equally outraged about the trafficking of women and girls. It’s not the first time the R F failed to read the room.
I actually don’t think he is calm and carrying on. I think he is quaking in his boots. He is now forever in hiding on the estates spending his days riding horses. There are no more lavish dinner parties or overseas trips and hobnobbing with foreign dignitaries.
the invitations have dried up and he is coming to terms with his pitiful existence.
Living in a palace on an estate and spending your time riding horses isn’t exactly a pitiful existence!
I do get what you’re saying, but even the worst-case scenario for Andrew is what most people would consider a luxury vacation.
I hope all RF initiatives about women and girls are now laughed and mocked roundly.
I can believe /he’s/ calm because he’s so arrogant and far up his own arse that he think he’ll be able to skate by. He also knows he’s mummy’s favourite and she’ll make sure he’s financially secure when she’s gone and continue to defend him as much as he can. And if she dies before it’s over, it becomes a Charles problem and Andrew probably enjoys the thought of being a big headache and a dark cloud over his big brother as they’ve never been very close – even if he knows Charles won’t give him the same grace as their mother does.
I don’t believe this story at all. I believe Andrew is shitting himself and is truly afraid about what might happen. This PR is really terrible at this time because it paints Andrew in a carefree style only fueling more of let’s get him.
This just makes me ill. Like someone said, nothing like admitting you did something wrong by claiming diplomatic immunity. I can’t believe this is all taking a backseat to hysterics over the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. I wish they could put his a$$ in jail, but short of that, I hope Virginia soaks him for millions.
Are British taxpayers cool with footing the bill for Prince Andrew’s lawyers?
not just the British taxpayers….every Commonwealth country has to contribute to the crown
#abolishthemonarchy
Of course he is relaxed and unbothered, the devil has no cares and mummy sees nothing wrong with anything he did, as far as she and the rest of them are concerned, this is just the way royals have always behaved so pheasant please stop with all this noise.
Oh, well, that’s nice for him.
So the message is that while raping a trafficked girl, he thought about God and Country and all was well?
That’s a really good look said no one ever
Of course, mommy protects him.
Diplomatic Immunity laws were created to protect the elite. They can operate above the law. This particular crime was brought to light by the victims, imagine the number of crimes protected by diplomatic immunity that never make the press.
As trade envoy, Andrew used his connections and privilege to collaborate with Epstein and Maxwell in their operation. His involvement is greater than having sex with an underage girl, the British Media and Buckingham Palace know it.
He’s miserable because he’s confined to the gilded cage with Fergie for a very long time, maybe the rest of his life. Poetic justice.