Queen Elizabeth II’s final years were not easy ones for the monarchy: family feuds, a pandemic, and the death of Prince Philip. However, it might have been Prince Andrew’s association with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein that was her most challenging issue.
In Episode 5 of ITV X’s documentary, The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor, Queen Elizabeth had to make a difficult decision in light of the Duke of York’s devastatingly disastrous BBC Newsnight interview in 2019. His retreat from public life and his senior role was not enough for the public, who demanded more action be taken as details of Virginia Giuffre’s civil case for sex abuse came to light, even though he’s consistently denied all the allegations.
She stripped him of his military titles and the use of HRH in January 2022, per the BBC, which pained her because he was reportedly her favorite son. “Harry has left the country and builds a new life in America. And now, the Queen has stripped Andrew of his HRH title. A final gesture of self-sacrifice,” the documentary noted, via Tatler. By the time Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee rolled around in June 2022, it was quite evident how the royal family had changed tremendously in the last few years. The balcony celebration only included the Queen, the Cambridges and the then-Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. It probably crushed the monarch to see the differences displayed on what should have been a momentous day, but Queen Elizabeth had no other choice at that point.
Before you go, click here to see more photos from Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Source: Read Full Article