Ex-Prince Andrew has long been known as the late Queen Elizabeth II‘s favorite child, which is why many believe he got away with as much as he did for as long as he did. This includes keeping his royal titles amid controversies such as his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, before they were finally taken away.
And now, following his arrest on his 66th birthday on February 19th on suspicion of misconduct in public office, people are wondering whether the late Queen was in any way to blame for how things ultimately unfolded…
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Will Ex-Prince Andrew's Arrest Affect Queen Elizabeth II's Legacy?
Crisis expert David E. Johnson reportedly told Us Weekly that the disgraced royal's arrest could have an impact on the late Queen's legacy, with critics questioning whether she should have intervened while she was still alive.
"A lot of people will be saying, 'Why didn't she do more?'" he noted, adding: "This has been going on for a long time. She looked the other way."
Finding Freedom author Omid Scobie added that "there was a lot more going on than we thought." He continued: "The British public have a lot of questions, and at some point, some of those questions need to be answered."
'There Was Nothing The Queen Could Do To Persuade Andrew To Be More Discreet'
According to royal historian David Cannadine, Queen Elizabeth may have known more about her disgraced son's antics than she let on – something critics may understandably take issue with.
In his new book, Queen Elizabeth II: A Concise Biography of an Exceptional Sovereign, Cannadine claims that the late monarch may have tried to have words with Andrew over the years, but it seemingly fell on deaf ears.
"There was nothing the Queen could do… to persuade Prince Andrew to be more discreet," he explained.
The Queen Reportedly 'Indulged' Youngest Sons Andrew And Prince Edward After Complaints From King Charles About Her Being Too 'Distant'
Cannadine went on to say that her two youngest children – ex-Prince Andrew and Prince Edward – were particularly indulged. "The Queen indulged her two younger sons too much," Cannadine said.
This may, however, have been partly influenced by King Charles, as the Queen reportedly adjusted her parenting style after he allegedly said he didn't enjoy his time at Gordonstoun boarding school and made "complaints that his parents had been too distant."
It could explain why the Queen took a different approach with her two youngest children – although it arguably backfired. At least in Andrew's case...
"The result was that [ex-]Prince Andrew acquired an excessive sense of entitlement and an exaggerated opinion of his own abilities, which would lead to serious misjudgments that would eventually compel him to withdraw from public life," Cannadine explained.
