King Charles has faced criticism over his handling of Prince Andrew’s forfeiture of the Duke of York title following the disgraced royal’s links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking on A Right Royal Podcast, royal biographer Andrew Lownie called Buckingham Palace’s decision to release Andrew’s statement under his own name “a serious misstep.” According to Lownie, the statement should have come directly from the King, signaling decisive action from the monarchy.
Andrew’s Statement Sparks Controversy
Prince Andrew, who announced on October 17 that he is relinquishing the Duke of York title and several honours, including his Order of the Garter membership, framed the decision as his own.
“In discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family, we have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family,” Andrew wrote.
Lownie criticized this approach, pointing out that Andrew’s claim of standing down voluntarily was misleading, as it was widely understood that the decision was forced upon him.
“The King should have actually taken the credit for the decision about his younger brother. Instead, they turned what could have been a good way of dealing with the problem into a bigger crisis,” Lownie said, according to Hello! magazine.
Royal Experts Weigh In
Royal commentator Jennie Bond told Sky News that Andrew’s use of “we” in the statement highlighted the intense pressure applied on him to step down, calling it a move to “do the decent thing and fall on his sword.”
Reports indicate that Charles personally ordered Andrew to step down during a tense 10-minute call, after consulting closely with family members, particularly Prince William.
The handling of this situation has reignited discussions over the monarchy’s approach to crisis management and the delicate optics surrounding public statements from royal figures.
