In late May 2022, Justin Welby, then the Church of England’s Archbishop of Canterbury, was asked during an interview about Prince Andrew and the public reaction to him. Welby said that “forgiveness really does matter” and that “we have become a very, very unforgiving society,” adding that there is a “difference between consequences and forgiveness.” He noted that regarding Prince Andrew, “we all have to step back a bit. He’s seeking to make amends and I think that’s a very good thing.” At the same time, he acknowledged that issues of alleged abuse are “intensely personal and private for so many,” which means no one can dictate how others should respond.

Following a backlash, Welby’s office clarified that his comments on forgiveness were not intended to apply specifically to Prince Andrew, but rather were a broader comment about the kind of more “open and forgiving society” he hoped for around the time of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The statement emphasised that while consequences remain important, forgiveness is also part of Christian understanding of justice, mercy and reconciliation — but it explicitly did not amount to a call for the public to re-embrace the prince or dismiss accountability.


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