King Charles and Prince William Applaud Themselves as Prince Andrew Keeps His Privilege

In her posthumous memoir Nobody’s Girl, Virginia Giuffre recalls three encounters with Prince Andrew that she says took place when she was seventeen. The most disturbing claim is that Andrew behaved as if sex with her was his “birthright.” Her account, written before her death in April 2025, revives a scandal that has long haunted the monarchy. Andrew denies all allegations and insists he has no memory of meeting Giuffre, yet her description of entitlement has reopened a debate about power, privilege, and protection at the heart of the royal family.

The Allegations that Never Faded

Giuffre’s memoir outlines three encounters in 2001 arranged by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The meetings took place in London, New York, and on Epstein’s island in the US Virgin Islands. She says Andrew knew her age and joked about “trading her in soon,” describing his tone as dismissive and transactional. She wrote that Maxwell later praised her, saying “You did well, the prince had fun.” The image of the young woman beside Andrew and Maxwell in a London townhouse has become emblematic of the case.

Giuffre’s claims are supported by witness statements and flight logs that place Andrew within Epstein’s circle. He has admitted staying at Epstein’s homes and flying on his jet but denies any sexual contact. The 2022 civil settlement, estimated at £12 million, resolved the lawsuit without admission of guilt but deepened public doubt and scrutiny. Newly revealed emails from 2011, including one where Andrew wrote to Epstein, “Seems we’re in this together,” further weakened his defence and contradicted his televised claim that their friendship had ended years earlier.

A Royal Entitlement Protected by Power

The allegations against Andrew expose more than individual misconduct. They reveal how royal privilege continues to shield members of the monarchy from lasting consequence. Despite stepping back from public life, Andrew remains a fixture within the Windsor estate, living on royal grounds and retaining security protection. The palace’s response has followed a familiar pattern: a public declaration of the removal of his titles, when in reality he still retains them, and most glaringly, there is no accountability.

Andrew remains technically a Duke, Knight of the Garter, and an HRH. Palace aides describe his titles as “in abeyance”, inactive but intact, a phrase that captures the illusion of reform. He continues to live at Royal Lodge under a private lease that extends until 2078, meaning even the King cannot evict him. The gesture of renouncing titles changes nothing about the comfort of his position.

Six Years of Spin and No Consequence for Prince Andrew

Three official statements have been issued since his association with Jeffrey Epstein first drew scrutiny. Each one strikes a tone of regret and self-preservation rather than true consequence. In 2019, he stepped back “for the foreseeable future.” In 2022, his titles and patronages were returned to the late Queen. Now, in 2025, he announces he will “no longer use” them — not that they were removed. These are the palace’s own words.

It is important to note that removing Andrew’s dukedom would require an Act of Parliament. That step is unlikely, as it would set a precedent that threatens the very structure of the monarchy itself. Despite the palace statements, the official royal website still lists him as ‘The Duke of York’ and identifies him among the current Counsellors of State, proof that little has truly changed.

A Family and a System Without Reflection

The question has moved beyond Andrew’s guilt to the institution that allowed his entitlement to endure. His story reflects not a lone moral lapse but a system designed to protect privilege over principle. Every palace statement reads like a strategy of containment rather than contrition.

Andrew’s announcement that he would “cease using” his royal titles is a hollow gesture preserving wealth, security, and Epstein-linked privileges. The decision, made after discussions with King Charles and renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s files, mirrors his 2022 settlement: an act of image management, not accountability.

The next monarch will be more ruthless. Buckingham Palace says the Prince of Wales was “consulted” on the decision, but it is understood that he is not satisfied with the outcome and knows the “Andrew problem” will be in his in-tray at some point. When William is King, Andrew will be banned from all elements of royal life. He will excluded from public and private royal events, including the coronation, and banned from most state occasions. – The Times

There is now a coordinated effort in the media to applaud not only the King but also Prince William for the so-called action taken against Prince Andrew. Royal biographer Andrew Lownie described the move as “a little bit of smoke and mirrors,” noting that it was actually William and the government, not the King, who pushed for Andrew to lose his titles. Throughout it all, the King remained silent.

Kate once described walking alongside Meghan and Harry at Windsor Castle after the Queen’s death as the hardest thing she had ever done. Yet sharing a car ride with Prince Andrew seemed effortless. The 2023 Balmoral outing was portrayed as a “show of family unity”. Now the same family now applauding Andrew’s decision to “stop using” his titles had no issue appearing publicly beside him, smiling for cameras, and sending the message that proximity to scandal is tolerable when the offender is royal.

The image of unity at Balmoral and the current palace praise tour both serve one purpose: to make the public believe action has been taken when, in truth, very little has changed. Andrew still lives on royal grounds, still enjoys taxpayer-funded security, and still benefits from the institution that shielded him.

The remaining taxpayer-funded royals are patting themselves on the back as if they have delivered justice, but they’re merely managing optics. If William cared about accountability, he would have spoken up long before it was politically safe. Instead, the Windsors continue their oldest tradition, protecting each other and calling it duty.