Royal Family Maintains Public Engagements Amidst Prince Andrew Controversy

Even though Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, were more than 400 kilometres apart in England on Thursday, they both found themselves celebrating local culture. Prince William, as Duke of Cornwall, served up savoury local pastries while in Cornwall on St. Piran’s Day, which marks the heritage, identity and culture of the Cornish people. Catherine went barefoot as she tried out traditional dancing while in Leicester, meeting with the British Indian community the day after the Hindu festival of Holi.

Business as Usual

Such visits are typical for the royals and have been a focus for several senior members of the Royal Family over the past couple of weeks, following the arrest and release under investigation of former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor amid the scandal surrounding his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Maintaining regular public appearances, even without directly commenting on Andrew’s situation, sends a clear message.

“For the Royal Family to simply continue business as usual, that emphasizes their distance from Andrew, that he is not in the midst of the Royal Family as he was for so many decades,” said Toronto-based royal author and historian Carolyn Harris.

Recent Royal Engagements

In keeping with this approach, William and Catherine have also attended the BAFTA Film Awards and visited Wales. Catherine delivered a video message entirely in Welsh to mark St. David’s Day, a noted first. King Charles has undertaken engagements with a military theme, and Queen Camilla has focused on her key causes, including literacy and support for victims of domestic violence.

Constitutional expert Craig Prescott, a lecturer in law at Royal Holloway, University of London, emphasized the importance of continuing royal duties. “Business as usual shows that in institutional terms, Andrew is no longer part of the monarchy,” he said, adding that this is the most appropriate course of action for the Royal Family at this time. Prescott noted that scandals tend to “erupt, attract enormous attention and then almost die down as quickly as they rise.”

Concerns Regarding the Duchy of Cornwall

Prince William’s visit to Cornwall as Duke of Cornwall also carries some controversy, as the Duchy of Cornwall has faced criticism. An investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches revealed contracts between the Duchy of Cornwall and charities and public bodies. This could potentially draw criticism, raising questions about the use of public money, similar to those surrounding the Andrew situation.

Future Royal Visits Uncertain

While William and Catherine are likely to continue similar engagements, higher-profile overseas visits are less certain. A potential visit to the United States by King Charles and Queen Camilla, reciprocating President Trump’s state visit, remains unconfirmed. Similarly, Prince William’s attendance at the World Cup, scheduled in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, is also uncertain due to global events and conditions in Mexico.

The Succession Question

The question of Prince Andrew’s place in the line of succession has also come to the forefront. The U.K. Government is considering legislation to remove him, a move that Harris believes is a positive step. However, removing Andrew from the line of succession is not a simple process and would require acceptance from all the Commonwealth realms. The last succession reform, which removed male-preference primogeniture, took four years.

Queen Camilla’s Support for Survivors

Queen Camilla recently met with Gisèle Pelicot, a French rape survivor, at Clarence House. Pelicot’s memoir details her experiences with an ex-husband convicted of sexual assault. Camilla had previously written a letter of support to Pelicot and expressed shock at her case, highlighting her continued support for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Paddington Bear Continues Royal Appearances

Paddington Bear, who famously appeared with Queen Elizabeth during her Platinum Jubilee, has continued to make royal appearances. He recently met with Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle during a reception celebrating a creative writing competition. Paddington’s popularity makes him a unifying cultural figure for the United Kingdom.

Royally Quotable

“I demand to be in quite a calm state and I’m not at the moment,” – Prince William, at the BAFTA film awards, on why he hasn’t seen the movie Hamnet yet.