Prince Andrew is stirring up the royal waters these days, getting himself into all sorts of controversies that could embarrass the royal family with less than two months to go before the royal wedding.
Andrew & Ties to Middle East Leaders?
As the 51 year old son of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger brother of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew is a U.K. special representative for international trade and investment for British business abroad. The latest controversy involves his possible involvement with controversial figures in the Middle East, including Libya’s leader Moammar Gaddafi and Tunisia’s ex-president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.
Other Scandalous News
In addition, recent press reports pointed to Prince Andrew’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a U.S. financier who was convicted of solicitation of prostitution involving a minor.
Focus, as of late, has been on Prince Andrew’s ties to these Middle East leaders, particularly with the uprisings on the region. Chris Bryant, a Labor member of Parliament recently criticized Prince Andrew in the House of Commons for his ties to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Libya’s Col. Gaddafi. Mr. Bryant asked the room if perhaps “Is it not time that we dispensed with the services of the Duke of York?”
Step Down Andrew!
On Monday, an editorial in the Times of London asked for Prince Andrew to step down and it accused him of being arrogant, sloppy in his preparations, and boorish and more.
WikiLeaks cables have also served to embarrass Prince Andrew lately. One cable said that a group of U.K. businessmen who complained to Prince Andrew about corruption in Kyrgyzstand were told by the Prince that, “All of this sounds exactly like France.”
Buckingham Palace Rebuttal
Buckingham Palace has stood behind Prince Andrew through all of the controversy, saying that, “The Duke of York remains fully committed to his role as special representative, and is pleased that the government has continued to support him in that role.”