Priti Patel's leaked email backing Prince Andrew has landed her in a pickle. Here's what happened.
Priti Patel, as everyone knows, is a top British politician who also served as the Home Secretary between 2019 to 2022. Amidst all the different storms brewing in the British royal family, from Harry and Meghan losing their UK residence, to rifts between William and Harry, one controversy seems to still hold utmost importance. And that is the case against Prince Andrew.
Prince Andrew, who is neck-deep in controversy, was supported by Priti Patel, and just like that, she landed herself in a soup. Recently, Patel apologised to the King regarding her role in this Andrews debacle. Here’s everything that happened.
The case against Prince Andrew
It all started back in 2019 when Prince Andrew gave an interview with BBC’s Newsnight that has been deemed disastrous on many levels. Prince Andrew, who was close friends with the American convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, publicly recollected his dealings with the notorious Epstein. This interview broke Prince Andrew’s image and received a ton of negative responses. In fact, he even admitted to having stayed in Epstein’s mansion after Epstein was convicted of sexually offending a minor.
To top it off, Virginia Giuffre also accused Prince Andrew of sexually exploiting her when she was a minor all of 17 years of age after she was trafficked by none other than, Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew has claimed that he had no memory of ever meeting Giuffre. But photographic evidence of a 17-year-old Giuffre with the Prince and Ghislaine Maxwell proves otherwise.
The aftermath that followed
Prince Andrew has consistently denied having sex with Giuffre, but he has paid a hefty sum of money (allegedly in millions) in an out-of-court settlement in the US civil case.
And in 2022, right before his legal settlement, Andrew’s mother, the Late Queen Elizabeth, stripped him of all his honorary military roles, and he was made to give up his HRH style.
Priti Patel backs the Prince
After Prince Andrew lost his HRH title, Andrew no longer had access to taxpayer-funded police protection. But, the former home secretary chose to back Prince Andrew and emailed the King’s principal private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, to help get £3m-a-year security back for the Duke of York. Alderton has no power to make these kinds of changes to Prince Andrew’s security detail, as per The Guardian.
This infamous email leaked, and Patel said the following to The Sun, with regard to this email.
“It is disappointing that this correspondence has been leaked into the public domain and I apologise to His Majesty for the embarrassment and difficulties the publishing of this correspondence has caused.”
The consequences of the leaked email
The email does not make Priti Patel or even Prince Andrew look good. As per The Sun, royal expert Ingrid Seward said the following, while talking about this leaked email.
“Ms Patel should have known he has no power over these decisions. Her meddling was deeply unwise and deeply unfair on The King — and will damage Andrew’s cause, not help it. And the bottom line remains, why should the public pay £3 million a year to protect a man who rarely leaves his home?”
After being banished from frontline duties, it looks like Prince Andrew is looking for a comeback. And the backing he has from the former home minister Priti Patel is giving the accused royal a reason to fight for his old life. And it is said that Prince Andrew has launched a shock bid to win back his armed security. But truth be told, taxpayers may not be very thrilled at the prospect of their money being directed towards Prince Andrew.
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