The British Royal Family at the moment is caught up in a whirlwind of controversies, with Queen Elizabeth II’s popularity waning every day alongside her age-related failing health. The 95-year-old Monarch has been on the British throne for 70 years, where besides parades and pageants, she has faced many challenges and controversies over the years. This year, nationwide celebrations are planned for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Still, the British Monarchy has been in crisis for a long time, with the latest calamity being the old sovereign’s son Prince Andrew. He faces sexual abuse court cases in the United States of America.
Prince Andrew’s Guilt Has Been Already Determined In The Court of Public Opinion.
Other than the fear of losing their titular head, the Royal Family is more concerned currently about and scandal brought by the family’s Black Sheep, Prince Andrew. He was stripped of his position in royal life following the rising intensity of his sexual assault case in the United States of America.
From the statement issued by the Buckingham Palace, Prince Andrew, who holds the official title of The Duke of York, has been barred from performing his role as the essential member of the British Royal Family, compelled to give away all his honorary military titles and charitable functions. After this dramatic move, he will not be associated with the Royal Family in any official capacity. He will effectively be defending his case as a private citizen in the United States of America.
Prince Andrew’s Association With Infamous Jeffrey Epstein
Often called the Queen’s “favourite son”, Prince Andrew is accused by Virginia Giuffre, a 38-years-old American woman, of sexually assaulting her in 2001 when she was 17. She claims that she was delivered to him by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. After denying having met Virginia Giuffre and defending his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, who was found hanging in prison in 2019, Prince Andrew has been rarely seen in public since then. The Duke of York, also known as Randy Andy, has been snapped with different women by his side. Before his friendship with sex offenders and underage sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, he was famous as the Bachelor Prince before his marriage.
Including Prince Andrew’s friendship with Jeffery Epstein and his sexual assault allegations of Virginia Giuffre, all chapters from the Bachelor Prince’s past are being investigated. Now under more scrutiny, it would be difficult for the Party Prince to return to public life as a representative of the royal family, who are often derided for being above the law. It would be difficult for Prince Andrew to hide behind his mother’s tartan skirts anymore to avoid the legal troubles in the civil court. Although Prince Andrew has denied all the allegations, he is most likely to pay unspecified damages to the American woman Virginia Giuffre, despite the Royal Family insisting the lawsuit’s claims to be baseless.
The Royal Family’s Other Black Sheep
Prince Andrew’s scandal is not the first spectacular fall from grace the Royal Family has endured, and he is not the only royal prince who is living a life of exile from the British Crown. As the lives of royal family members remain a topic of fascination and frequent scrutiny, Prince Harry is becoming another Achille’s heel for the royal family. Although Prince Andrew’s legal woes threaten more damage to the British Monarch.
Last year, in an explosive interview with American television personality Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan sparked another controversial debate, allegations of racism in the royal family. The couple sat down with Oprah Winfrey and alleged racial hostility within the royal family.
Prince Harry’s wife Meghan is biracial, and the couple claimed that there had been “concerns and conversations” during Meghan’s pregnancy. Although, the couple didn’t name the particular senior royals who exhibited the shameful behaviour. ]t nevertheless sparked much wrath and debate globally against the royal family. Prince Harry and his American actress wife Meghan have already walked away from the Royal life, as they are attempting to create a separate life of their own in the United States of America.
Deepening the divide within the royal family, they are constantly criticizing the royal family after having lost all their royal patronages and honorary titles. At the end of 2022, Prince Harry’s autobiography is set for release. It will very much determine how the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II will end, losing her Crown’s relevance and power every year.
The Cracks Of The Crown Are Now Clear For Everyone To See
Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II herself is suffering from the personal loss of her husband, Prince Philip, who died at the age of 99 on April 9 last year at Windsor Castle. The Queen’s health is in steep decline, as evident from her recent hospital stay and her subsequent use of a walking stick for support. After Queen Elizabeth II, the fate of the royal family rests on its two future kings, Prince Charles and Prince William, who would have to shoulder more immense burdens than their predecessor.
Regardless of what happened with Prince Andrew’s civil lawsuit, the royal family would be battling hard to keep themselves from any more controversies until the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Their reputation is already in tatters, and it continues to suffer from the erasure of their public persona. It will be interesting to see how they can appear publicly at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations without causing any more controversy. Much of the buzz around the Platinum Jubilee celebrations would be around their fractured family dynamics, which has gained much-unwanted attention over a few past years. Many eyeballs will be on each family member, and their every word and every gesture would be closely watched, including their private parties and public picnics.
A sharp decline in the popularity of the royal family among the youth
With the General Public’s hostile attitude growing towards the pomp and pageantry of the Royal Family, the social changes in the post-Covid-19 world would make it harder for the British Monarchy to stay relevant and enjoy the enviable public support that it once did.
In a recent survey conducted by YouGov, 41% of those aged 18 to 24 thought there should be an elected head of state compared to 31% who wanted a king or a queen. Young people in Britain no longer feel the country should keep the Monarchy, which mainly stands on public money and goodwill. The sentiment of the British public around the archaic hereditary Monarchy ranges from complete abolition to overall modernization of its various outdated aspects and attitudes. And it is not just the British public; the world outside Britain is also reflecting upon the Monarchy’s colonial history, wondering how and why it is not the relic of the past yet, where it clearly and undeniably belongs.
Conclusion
Even though the Royal Family is preparing for the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, with a nationwide celebration planned for the significant milestone in royal history, the Queen will become the longest-serving Monarch. The public conversation is focused on the role of the Monarchy in modern Britain. There was a time when the Monarchy was the embodiment of national stability and security. Still, changing tides have made it difficult for the Royal family to steer their ship towards the values they represent.