The harm Prince Andrew does to the crown
Hereditary monarchy rests on consent. A sexual-assault case undermines that
PRINCE ANDREW does not deny that it is him in the photograph. But is it really his hand clasped around the waist of 17-year-old Virginia Roberts? He cannot be sure. In fact, he told the BBC in 2019, he had no memory of the picture being taken. It showed him in travelling clothes, he mused, but when in London he would wear a suit and tie, and he certainly didn’t go around hugging people. He had never been upstairs in the house of Ghislaine Maxwell, his socialite friend, where the snap was taken. And had it really been Jeffrey Epstein behind the camera? The prince hadn’t ever seen his friend take a picture.
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “A question of consent”
From the January 8th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Britain
Why have Britain’s bond yields jumped sharply?
Mostly, blame Donald Trump. But Labour’s policies haven’t helped
The phenomenon of sexual strangulation in Britain
A survey suggests the risky practice is more common than you might think
The decline in remote working hits Britain’s housing market
A return to the office means a return to town
Britons are keener than ever to bring back lost and rare species
Immigrants that everyone can get behind
A much-praised British scheme to help disabled workers is failing them
It lavishes spending on some, and unfairly deprives others
Rolls-Royce cars pushes the pedal on customisation
Be your own Bond villain