What’s next for the Royal Family?
As much as today’s censures of Andrew are a significant development, much remains to be seen about how the Royal Family moves forward from the scandals that have surrounded him.
A lot will depend on how the King’s moves are received by the public, and the extent to which Andrew, who has been seen at family moments such as the recent funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, disappears from public view.
“I think when you look at most of the crises about the monarchy, it’s when the monarchy is out of step with public opinion and out of step with parliamentary opinion,” Prescott told me earlier this week.
Today’s announcement could have some impact.
“The statement from the King was clear, especially when saying, ‘these censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him,’” Prescott told me just now.
“It’s clearly distancing Andrew from the rest of the monarchy, which is reinforced by moving him to Sandringham. This move has put the monarchy back in step with public opinion and opinion in Parliament.”
How long that lasts will only emerge over time.
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