Nothing yet
It’s been “quite bumpy”. That was t h e Q u e e n’s characteristically understated description of the year that’s now drawing to a close. In her Christmas message, which always contains her most personal reflections, she said small steps could overcome long-held differences.
Clearly her words could be taken as a reference to the divisions caused by the Brexit debate but, as 2020 beckons, the royal family themselves have some rifts to heal and paths to smooth. One obstacle is the Duke of York. Having become the first royal to be sacked by his own mother over his friendship with an American paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, he is now an embarrassment to his family and an ongoing distraction from their work. That much was made obvious when Andrew was excluded from the main gathering at the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham.
T h e Ep s t e i n scandal is far from over and, in the coming year, there are likely to be more revelations. The pressure on the Prince to give a sworn statement to lawyers representing Epstein’s alleged victims is unlikely to abate.
Andrew ’s 60th bir thday celebration at the Palace in February has been cancelled. And t h e we d d i ng of his daughter, Beatrice, will be a more muted event for fear of attracting public criticism.
Other royals who’ll be hoping for a smoother path include Harry and Meghan. The Queen signalled her support for them when, in her Christmas message, she spoke of her delight at welcoming their son, Archie, into the family. After their six-week break from official duties, the Duke and Duchess are expected to return to work in the New Year. But, with Meghan approaching her 39th birthday, don’t be surprised if there’s soon news of another baby on the way.
Harry and Meghan are still on the warpath against the press – they’ve launched legal action against three national papers, which will result in further publicity.
The Prince has spoken openly about his battle with mental health and, in the coming year, he will again walk the tightrope of being