At Prince Philip’s memorial service in March 2022, the Queen shocked royal watchers by arriving arm-in-arm with Prince Andrew, her disgraced son who had just weeks earlier settled a U.S. civil case with Virginia Giuffre over sexual-assault allegations tied to Jeffrey Epstein. The image of the monarch publicly escorted by Andrew into Westminster Abbey — in front of cameras and global audiences — was seen as a deliberate act of endorsement. It came at a moment when the rest of the Royal Family had carefully distanced themselves from him, making the Queen’s decision feel tone-deaf and defiant in the face of widespread disgust.

The optics were brutal. To much of the public, it looked as if the Queen was rehabilitating Andrew’s image and signaling royal forgiveness before the dust had even settled on his legal disgrace. Critics said it undercut the monarchy’s message of integrity and accountability, turning what was meant to be a solemn tribute to Prince Philip into a PR disaster. Commentators described it as a “misjudged show of support,” arguing that the Queen, perhaps out of maternal loyalty, had allowed personal sentiment to eclipse public perception — and in doing so, reignited outrage over Andrew’s continued presence at royal events.


to contact me:

[email protected]

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.