The Royal Family have been dealt a new blow as the majority of Brits think they handled Prince Andrew’s situation badly, a new poll has shown. Andrew announced that he will not be using any of his titles and honours anymore, following a “discussion with the King,” after the latest string of bombshells that have emerged relating to him and convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.
The prince’s association with the late disgraced financier has been gaining interest since the late 2010s. In 2019, Andrew stepped down as a senior working member of the Royal Family and has not carried out any royal engagements since. However, in light of the latest updates regarding Andrew, a new poll showed that two-fifths of the British public think the Firm handled it “badly” since the allegations were first made against him.
The royal has repeatedly and vehemently denied all allegations against him.
Ipsos published a new survey between October 20 and 21 that polled 1,036 British adults aged 18-75 to learn more about the public’s attitude towards the royals.
It emerged that more than four in ten (43%) think the royals handled what’s been dubbed the “Prince Andrew problem” badly.
Nearly a quarter (23%) said they handled it well, while another 23% claimed they did neither well nor badly.
Andrew announced last week he would stop using his Duke of York title to avoid distracting the public from the work of the royal family, but an Act of Parliament would be required to formally remove the dukedom.
The titles and honours Andrew will no longer use his wedding day titles—Duke of York, the Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh—his knighthood as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO), and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
Meanwhile, Downing Street said that MPs will not be given time in the House of Commons to discuss Prince Andrew’s conduct because the Royal Family wants Parliament to focus on “important issues”.
The Commons could only discuss Andrew’s friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his rent-free mansion if there was a formal motion, but the Government controls the bulk of parliamentary time.
Downing Street said it would not allocate time for a debate in the chamber, although MPs could still scrutinise the situation in committees.
