Blue Blooded Black Sheep

When the long-term survival of their institution is at peril the Royal Family acts swiftly and ruthlessly. Fortunately for Prince Andrew, there are a few ancestors of his who have also been treated the same way. Andrew Roberts, distinguished biographer of Napoleon and Churchill, on scandals and embarrassments at Buckingham Palace.

Great Britain’s royal family, the House of Windsor, are great survivors. The forcing of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Queen Elizabeth II’s middle son, from public life is a prime example of this. When one of the team is letting the rest of the side down, he is ruthlessly despatched. Whether he was guilty of actually having sex with a minor, the American woman Victoria Guiffre, was ultimately immaterial. He was damaging the Windsor brand, so he had to go.
It seems quite extraordinary that Prince Andrew should have agreed to an interview with the BBC’s Emily Maitlis, a hugely experienced and professional interviewer who is far, far cleverer than him. She was fair-minded during ...