PRINCE SCANDAL HAS DAMAGED THE MONARCHY SAYS NEW POLL
ALMOST two-thirds of people quizzed for a poll believe Prince Andrew’s TV interview about his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein has damaged the monarchy.
And nearly half do not believe his recollection of events.
It comes as sources close to the Duchess of Sussex said the interview had made Meghan feel “uncomfortable” and had “left everyone watching it wanting to curl under a table. It just got worse and worse and worse”.
In a further blow to the Prince, he is no longer flying his royal flag above his home in Windsor, it was noted yesterday.
The Savanta-comres poll for the Sunday Express found two-thirds (72 per cent) thought the Duke of York should go to the US and testify under oath about the Epstein case, if asked.
It also showed startlingly little support for the Queen’s second son after the disastrous BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis.
The Prince denied the claim by Virginia Roberts, now Giuffre, that she had sex with the Prince when aged 17.
She had been introduced to the royal through Epstein and his then girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of the disgraced, late media tycoon Robert Maxwell. Public criticism has focused particularly on the Prince’s failure to express any regret for his friendship with the paedophile or sympathy for the dozens of women Epstein trafficked and abused over three decades.
Only 10 per cent of the 2,038 polled agreed that they “believe Prince Andrew’s recollection of events” while a whopping 49 per cent disagreed.
Only 12 per cent did not think that the Prince should “testify under oath in America in the Jeffrey Epstein case if he is asked”, while 12 per cent said they had not decided.
More than half (54 per cent) agreed the time had come for a “slimmed down Royal Family, consisting of only the monarch, direct heirs to the throne and their spouses”, with 18 per cent rejecting the move and 11 per cent expressing no preference.
While 60 per cent said the BBC interview had damaged the monarchy, 12 per cent disagreed and 16 per cent had no opinion.
Damage to the monarchy is a concern shared by Prince Charles. The “increasingly alarmed” heir to the throne is said to have personally intervened to persuade the Queen to take firm action over fears the scandal would engulf the whole institution.