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artemisia1

(1,660 posts)
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 07:21 PM Thursday

Does anyone share my view that they only decided to finally pull the trigger on Prince Andrew to save the Monarchy

and NOT because of "new information"?

It is inconceivable that MI5 and MI6 were unaware of enough of his activities to invoke the United Kingdom's "Official Secrets Act":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Secrets_Act_1911

or that they did not have evidence of either/and gross sexual and financial "improprieties".

Anyone agree with my assessment? Disagree?

47 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Does anyone share my view that they only decided to finally pull the trigger on Prince Andrew to save the Monarchy (Original Post) artemisia1 Thursday OP
The monarchy isn't in trouble. Wednesdays Thursday #1
Okay, "Protect" then. /nt artemisia1 Thursday #7
which is more than a little different. - - -(nt)- stopdiggin Thursday #12
Take it outside. Both terms work. artemisia1 Thursday #17
You asked a question and then accused the first person who disagreed malaise Friday #42
This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Thursday #16
Beg to differ. artemisia1 Thursday #20
Um, what? Wednesdays Thursday #22
Both work. I was indulging you. It has been on the downslide for decades and only QE2 kept it together in the post-War artemisia1 Thursday #23
it's strange that these Western countries still have royalty: UK, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands BlueWaveNeverEnd Friday #33
Don't know about saving the royals but DURHAM D Thursday #2
The British press invented sleazy gossip "reporting". They were determined to sabotage his marriage to Meghan. That artemisia1 Thursday #5
That and this is a way to get rid of Fergie. mercuryblues Thursday #3
Well shanti Thursday #30
I agree. markodochartaigh Thursday #4
Again, the monarchy will still be intact after all of it Wednesdays Thursday #9
I think that picture of him over that young girl was the end for him. Jacson6 Thursday #6
Imagine being a trafficked teen girl and having that oaf on top of you. I bet that picture was the absolute tamest they artemisia1 Thursday #8
Feel like this is a "take what we can get" situation TBH AZJonnie Thursday #10
I agree, they sat on the Virginia evidence for self-serving reasons. It is a shame she couldn't see him in the metal artemisia1 Thursday #11
I'm not entirely sure who sat on it, or even if it was consciously sat on AZJonnie Thursday #21
Palace security security at the Royal Lodge initially didn't allow process servers to hand him the lawsuit directly, UK artemisia1 Thursday #25
Law of the Mafia. When someone is out of line ... usonian Thursday #13
Not really. My opinion - the people that are stopdiggin Thursday #14
I think they scheduled out these events so Andrew Ilsa Thursday #15
Definitely nt Raine Thursday #18
No, not at all. Emrys Thursday #19
There were calls for Charles to resign Blue Full Moon Thursday #24
I gather it's a very small minority Kaleva Friday #31
They are making a big show of taking him to task for money stuff to distract from RockRaven Thursday #26
The monarchy is taking a big hit. Irish_Dem Thursday #27
This. You stated it better than I did. artemisia1 Thursday #28
AKA, No Sussexes And No Yorks (Mountbatten-Windsors?). ColoringFool Thursday #29
Yep. Irish_Dem Friday #41
Is there any evidence that suggests the Monarchy is in danger? Kaleva Friday #32
Note that the arresting force canetoad Friday #34
I thought Thames Valley was a bit... róisín_dubh Friday #35
Don't know the ins and outs canetoad Friday #36
Oh no, my weakness! róisín_dubh Friday #44
Charles, other royals and Thatcher were friends of the "admired" Jimmy Savile PufPuf23 Friday #37
Yes, good point, and those who think the Monarchy is in no danger forget how much disrepute the Savile connection artemisia1 Friday #38
Or those that disagree with you... BooScout Friday #43
So UK subjects are UNANIMOUS in their views? I didn't think so. My views come from contact with people living artemisia1 Yesterday #46
I bet Harry is relieved that he bailed out of this situation. edbermac Friday #39
I agree. Despite his flaws he was perceptive enough to see the toxicity and parasitic nature within the Royal Family. /n artemisia1 Friday #40
I don't think they had a choice Buckeyeblue Friday #45
Don't Look Now, MineralMan Yesterday #47

Wednesdays

(22,149 posts)
1. The monarchy isn't in trouble.
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 07:24 PM
Thursday

The Brits have as much chance at abolishing the monarchy as we have in removing The Felon from the White House.

malaise

(294,803 posts)
42. You asked a question and then accused the first person who disagreed
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 06:24 AM
Friday

with you of protecting them.
Hmmmmm. I’ll pass

Response to Wednesdays (Reply #1)

Wednesdays

(22,149 posts)
22. Um, what?
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 09:10 PM
Thursday

You said "Okay, 'Protect" then."



Show me how the monarchy is crumbling. I'll wait.

artemisia1

(1,660 posts)
23. Both work. I was indulging you. It has been on the downslide for decades and only QE2 kept it together in the post-War
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 09:26 PM
Thursday

era. Monarchical privilege is deeply unpopular in the UK and many have thought that Charles might be the last Monarch. William's popularity, relative, at least, may keep this from being true.

Of course you'll disagree, but this is not a hill I'm willing to die on. If you are bent out of shape by an alternative view, then, by all means, take it outside...

BlueWaveNeverEnd

(13,664 posts)
33. it's strange that these Western countries still have royalty: UK, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 01:07 AM
Friday

artemisia1

(1,660 posts)
5. The British press invented sleazy gossip "reporting". They were determined to sabotage his marriage to Meghan. That
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 07:31 PM
Thursday

being said, Harry is, imho, sometimes his own worst enemy. Believing that does not mean that I don't acknowledge that both press and family have often treated him poorly.

He wanted to stay in the Army, iirc, but they wouldn't let him. Both he and "the Firm", or Royal Family, would have been better served had they respected his wishes and choices. He was good at it and was content there.

shanti

(21,792 posts)
30. Well
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 11:13 PM
Thursday

Seeing that she was involved with Epstein, this will be good. Her daughters were profiting off of him as well

markodochartaigh

(5,321 posts)
4. I agree.
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 07:31 PM
Thursday

I would imagine that there was a degree of willful ignorance or plausible deniability. But if Randy Andy had been a chimney sweep he would have gone up in smoke decades ago without a second thought. I do wonder if there is more among the royal houses of Europe. I heard something about the Norwegian royal's adopted son. I doubt that the scandal would completely topple the English royals. Maybe the next generation would have to step up immediately and the king immediately step down. I saw a picture of Randy in the back seat of a car today and he looked like he was was very worried about being fitted for a new cravat.

Wednesdays

(22,149 posts)
9. Again, the monarchy will still be intact after all of it
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 07:39 PM
Thursday

Unless new information comes out implicating Charles directly, we won't have a King William anytime soon.

Jacson6

(1,876 posts)
6. I think that picture of him over that young girl was the end for him.
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 07:32 PM
Thursday

Charles may have not told the crown to prosecute him, but he probably nodded his head when it was discussed.

Andrew is the very definition of a dirty, old man.

Sheesh!

artemisia1

(1,660 posts)
8. Imagine being a trafficked teen girl and having that oaf on top of you. I bet that picture was the absolute tamest they
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 07:39 PM
Thursday

could find of him to release.

AZJonnie

(3,398 posts)
10. Feel like this is a "take what we can get" situation TBH
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 07:41 PM
Thursday

Given the 20+ year interim w/o charges related to Virginia, it's reasonable to assume there never would be. Just the messenger here, nobody shoot me

Thus, it would be GREAT poetic justice if the asshole paid a stiff criminal penalty directly due to other illegal shit he did around Epstein, that was eventually unearthed in his correspondences.

That'd be a pretty decent outcome, given I thought he'd never pay any price.

artemisia1

(1,660 posts)
11. I agree, they sat on the Virginia evidence for self-serving reasons. It is a shame she couldn't see him in the metal
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 07:45 PM
Thursday

bracelets. At least some slight justice may be administered and I agree we should take this gratefully.

AZJonnie

(3,398 posts)
21. I'm not entirely sure who sat on it, or even if it was consciously sat on
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 09:07 PM
Thursday

But the most diplomatically correct storyline is probably that the FBI "missed it" because they were focused on the sex crime aspect, plus it was not a US security breach, so I expect that'll be the spiel. No telling how long the UK has had it, but I bet they had it before they stripped Andrew of title, and that move was part of the overall prosecution

artemisia1

(1,660 posts)
25. Palace security security at the Royal Lodge initially didn't allow process servers to hand him the lawsuit directly, UK
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 09:32 PM
Thursday

courts didn't require him to be deposed in the Giuffre case and it was made clear to Giuffre's lawyers that getting such an order would be difficult to impossible given his stature, and, finally, UK intelligence HAD to know how dirty Andrew was, including likely chargeable offences.

usonian

(24,381 posts)
13. Law of the Mafia. When someone is out of line ...
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 08:16 PM
Thursday

redacted scene from Goodfellas.

An earlier post said that Melania is moving out.
I suspect that Putin is ready to turn his puppet into firewood.
And let her know to get safely away.


From Russia, with Love.

stopdiggin

(15,271 posts)
14. Not really. My opinion - the people that are
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 08:24 PM
Thursday

ardent opponents of 'the family ' - have uniformly despised them, for a whole variety of reasons, for a long, long time. Yeah?

I doubt very seriously if this has really changed a lot of minds, regarding the royal family in general.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ilsa

(64,127 posts)
15. I think they scheduled out these events so Andrew
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 08:27 PM
Thursday

would no longer be a prince when they arrested him.

Emrys

(9,013 posts)
19. No, not at all.
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 09:02 PM
Thursday

Andrew no longer being technically a royal certainly doesn't hurt efforts to investigate, but all this has been bubbling under in the UK press for quite some time, and the dam was bound to burst eventually.

RockRaven

(19,027 posts)
26. They are making a big show of taking him to task for money stuff to distract from
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 09:41 PM
Thursday

the royals' and the governments' knowledge and complicity in the pedo stuff.

Since he can't be salvaged, and isn't worth saving anyway, they will flood the zone with money scandal details to dilute and distract.

Irish_Dem

(80,609 posts)
27. The monarchy is taking a big hit.
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 09:45 PM
Thursday

Charles and William are worried.

William is more in touch with reality and he is very worried.

He wants to clean house and downsize the monarchy.
Small group of trustworthy royals.

ColoringFool

(506 posts)
29. AKA, No Sussexes And No Yorks (Mountbatten-Windsors?).
Thu Feb 19, 2026, 11:07 PM
Thursday

Only the Heir Apparent and family; Princess Anne and family; and Prince Edward and family (Sophie is known to be very loyal and hard-working).

Irish_Dem

(80,609 posts)
41. Yep.
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 06:13 AM
Friday

Traitors, criminals, con artists, trouble makers, active drug addicts and alcoholics all gone.

Yes Prince and Princess of Wales, Anne, Edward, Sophie.
Yes Sophie is a royal favorite, very trustworthy and hard working.
Sophie and Edward's kids can join the firm after a probationary period
and only if they want to.

Charles is too weak to do it all. William will force it or do it himself.

Kaleva

(40,294 posts)
32. Is there any evidence that suggests the Monarchy is in danger?
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 01:04 AM
Friday

According to polls, King Charles III is popular with a majority of Brits.

canetoad

(20,549 posts)
34. Note that the arresting force
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 01:15 AM
Friday

Was Thames Valley Police (yeah, same as Inspector Morse). Not the Met - he's not on their turf. Not MI5 which may or may not be interested nor MI6 who's brief is to deal with matters in other than the UK.

This may very well be an unusual but otherwise fairly standard type of prosecution that just happens to be of a member of the RF. I can't see anyone invoking the Official Secrets Act - it's a pretty fair assumption that the Firm will want this played out in public.

róisín_dubh

(12,294 posts)
35. I thought Thames Valley was a bit...
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 01:30 AM
Friday

weird, given he lives in Norfolk.
But hey ho, glad it finally happened regardless of jurisdiction.

canetoad

(20,549 posts)
36. Don't know the ins and outs
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 01:40 AM
Friday

But he lived in Windsor at time of crime. Norfolk Constabulary is about half the size of Thames Valley. Could just be a decision to let a bigger force handle it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norfolk_Constabulary
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Valley_Police

PS Maybe they're going to make a police procedural TV series about it.

róisín_dubh

(12,294 posts)
44. Oh no, my weakness!
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 06:38 AM
Friday

Because I want to write a mystery novel and I have a legal background, I ❤️ British police procedurals (and noted your mention of Inspector Morse). Vera and Shetland are my favourites. I’m not sure I could stomach one about Andrew though.
I suspect you’re right about jurisdiction and Norfolk is small potatoes compared to Thames Valley. I live just over the border in equally rural Suffolk.

artemisia1

(1,660 posts)
38. Yes, good point, and those who think the Monarchy is in no danger forget how much disrepute the Savile connection
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 01:58 AM
Friday

attached to the Royal Family.

BooScout

(10,410 posts)
43. Or those that disagree with you...
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 06:38 AM
Friday

....might actually live in the UK and have a grasp about the stability and popularity of the Royal family. Andrew is not King Charles and most Brits seem to understand that novel concept.

If your brother went out and committed a murder, which you had nothing to do with, should you lose your job and what the heck, get locked up too?

artemisia1

(1,660 posts)
46. So UK subjects are UNANIMOUS in their views? I didn't think so. My views come from contact with people living
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 10:25 AM
Yesterday

in the UK who view the Monarchy as parasitical. I am not sure I share that view as I think they do make a contribution, but your post is ONE person's view and living in the UK doesn't make it more special.

artemisia1

(1,660 posts)
40. I agree. Despite his flaws he was perceptive enough to see the toxicity and parasitic nature within the Royal Family. /n
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 06:11 AM
Friday

Buckeyeblue

(6,313 posts)
45. I don't think they had a choice
Fri Feb 20, 2026, 07:10 AM
Friday

There has just been too much about Andy coming out of the Epstein email release. I think once the email came out that Andy had shared some state classified/confidential financial information with Epstein it paved the way for this investigation. I think it'll be interesting to see what the investigation finds as they search through his emails. It could be that they don't find much of anything that would support prosecution. I think it just depends on how forthcoming he was in his emails.

MineralMan

(150,999 posts)
47. Don't Look Now,
Sun Feb 22, 2026, 10:31 AM
Yesterday

but they've already done that, I think. Not much left of Andrew to destroy, it seems to me.

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