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After a relatively quiet few months for Prince Andrew, there have been two recent developments that will no doubt make this famously un-sweaty man feel a nervous chill. Firstly, following the mixed response that Scoop, the first account of his notorious interview with Emily Maitlis, received, the first pictures have been released of the Amazon TV version of the story, A Very Royal Scandal. The notoriously vain Duke of York will no doubt be disappointed to see that the ever-chameleonic Michael Sheen seems to be playing him with considerable padding round the waist, in what promises to be a uniquely unflattering look at the Newsnight saga. And secondly, after much rumor and scuttlebutt, it looks as if Andrew could finally be made homeless.
The duke, of course, is famously not a humble man
Obviously, for a member of the royal family — even a disgraced one — “homelessness” is a relative term. Even so, the news that King Charles is withdrawing funding for Andrew’s private security at his residence of Royal Lodge in Windsor has presented the duke with an unenviable (by his lights, anyway) choice. When this comes to an end in October, Andrew will either have to foot the annual $4 million himself for his ten-strong protection unit, as well as paying for the repairs that the property needs, or leave the mansion and head to a smaller, humbler residence more in keeping with his reduced status in public life. Even if we can’t expect to see Andrew setting up in a suburban semi any time soon, this is a clear indication that those around him have wholly lost patience with him.
The duke, of course, is famously not a humble man. He has previously indicated via “friends” commenting to the media — although post-Epstein, it’s hard to think who these unfortunate souls might be — that he wishes to remain in the Royal Lodge until the expiry of its lease in 2078. Presumably he considers immortality to be one of his many strengths: should he remain in the property until then, he would reach the grand old age of 118.
However, a clause in the contract suggests that Andrew is responsible for keeping the property up to a reasonable standard of repair. With his income currently at an extremely limited level, he might find himself faced with the choice between maintaining even a reduced private security presence — after all, he is both a high-profile royal and possibly the most unpopular man in Britain who isn’t currently in jail — and keeping the metaphorical belfry bat-free.
If he does decide that the expense and bother is too much for him — even with the presence and assistance of his perennially loyal and supportive ex-wife Sarah Ferguson — then there are still other options. He could move into a suite of rooms at Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace, if his brother deigns it acceptable, or possibly occupy Frogmore Cottage now that his nephew Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle no longer require it — although that property comes with its own ghosts. It was once occupied by another royal figure who fell out of favor, Elizabeth and Margaret’s former governess Marion “Crawfie” Crawford, who ended up writing an anodyne account of her life with the young princesses.
Still, this precedent might inspire the duke. If Andrew feels at all vindictive or resentful about his treatment by his family, the temptation must be there to look at Harry’s memoire Spare and the enormously lucrative deal that attracted, and write his own tell-all book about the past few years. If nothing else, the publicity tour — a dozen Newsnight interviews! — would be one for the ages. But it is certain that, in his pig-headed obstinacy, the Duke of York will march on, blind to the harm and upset that he has already caused, and continue to face the slings and arrows of public opprobrium with the same expression of irritated boredom that he has displayed on every occasion since his disgrace. In the meantime, roll on A Very Royal Scandal.
Watch more from Alexander Larman on SpectatorTV:
This article was originally published on The Spectator’s UK website.
