Some interesting things are happening around the Windsor clan and the royal media ecosystem. There seems to be a consensus that King Charles AND Prince William have not done enough about the “Prince Andrew Problem.” There’s a consensus that Charles and William should be doing more and saying more to protect the monarchy, and not only that, but Charles and William should have been more proactive for years about Andrew, because they were well aware that this was all a ticking time bomb. Buckingham Palace issued a huffy statement two days ago, promising to “support” a police investigation into a small fraction of Andrew’s dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, Prince William’s trip to Saudi Arabia has been completely overshadowed by the growing catastrophe. Well, People Magazine had an exclusive about all of this, and they spoke to Russell Myers, the royal reporter/editor for the Daily Mirror. Some highlights:

Russell Myers on the palace’s promise to work with authorities: “Certainly, there is an appetite at both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace for Andrew to do the right thing by his conscience and speak to U.S. investigators if he has any information…. Buckingham Palace announcing that they stand ready to assist the police in any investigation is a seminal moment for the royal family. By referring to the former Duke of York as Mr. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in public and expressing that he is purely a private citizen is a clear indication that Andrew is on his own and will no longer be protected by the royal family, by the institution. This course of action should have been taken many years ago.”

Myers on William’s trip to Saudi Arabia: “In Saudi Arabia, William was as professional as ever. But there is a deep feeling that the latest revelations in the Epstein scandal have the capacity to overshadow what they are trying to achieve. It’s an important step for both William and Catherine to not only convey their personal feelings on the allegations but also publicly state that they stand with the victims.” Myers, whose book is published in March, says that the couple “have found the disturbing claims in the Epstein files profoundly concerning, and they wanted to let it be known that they stand with the victims at the center of this.”

Myers on Epstein’s long ties to the monarchy: Myers, who is royal editor of the Daily Mirror, adds of the latest revelations, including that convicted sex offender Epstein spent time as a guest at royal residences, “Epstein was allowed to enter the heart of the institution. And while the King and the Prince and Princess of Wales may have had no idea about the actual closeness of Andrew and Epstein’s relationship, it now affects them and their futures. This week, William has had one of the most diplomatically sensitive missions of his public life, where his role as a member of the monarchy and being in Saudi Arabia at the request of the British government, but it threatens to be overshadowed by this. It’s stopping them from doing their jobs.”

[From People]

“…A clear indication that Andrew is on his own and will no longer be protected by the royal family, by the institution…” Bullsh-t. King Charles is NOT hanging Andrew out to dry. Not yet, at least. Charles and his courtiers are actually trying to thread a particularly devious needle: they’re trying to keep Andrew close, protected and out of sight, while publicly indicating that of course they’ll cooperate with one particular investigation, but only if requested! The stuff about William being overshadowed is… odd. Yes, William’s trip has been overshadowed, but to complain about that in the middle of the current newscycle is what reads as out-of-touch. The Epstein Files are a major international story involving some of the most powerful people in the world, and crybaby William’s message is “no one is paying attention to my big-boy trip!”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.