Can you shed some light on that? Because obviously Sarah Ferguson’s name has been dragged through the mud with this. And those emails that she exchanged with Jeffrey Epstein. Every time you read them, they just make you feel sick in the guts. But what is happening now with her? How does she fit into the picture as this investigation moves forward?
The rumours are that she came close to doing a deal for an interview or television programme or a book. I think wiser counsels prevailed. She saw the reception to Charles Spencer’s book. She’s aware of the pressure that could be put on her daughters, and so she’s pulled back. I think having had some offers, she’s biding her time to see the way the wind blows.
I think she’s hoping she’s going to get some deal out of Charles to give her some sort of stipend. She’s playing a game where she’s threatening to go to the press, but she’s aware that her days are numbered. And as soon as William comes to the throne, he will be pretty ruthless with her.
So they’re all congregating — her and Harry and Meghan and others — hoping to get some sort of preferential treatment because they know that the regime change will not be in their interests.
That’s going to be one to watch closely. And I’ve got to ask you, Andrew, you mentioned that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor now has a girlfriend. I’m sorry, but what woman is dating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor who is voluntarily dating him? Can you tell us a bit more about this woman?
She’s a similar age, slightly older. She comes from the hunting, shooting fraternity. She’s a divorcee. Andrew has always had women throwing themselves at him because he’s a prince, and I think nothing has really changed. This is a woman who presumably wants to add him as a notch on her bedpost or thinks it would be pretty cool to date a prince.
But you’re absolutely right. I think no normal woman would want to be involved with him, given his reputation. But there are women who get involved with mass murderers in prison. And this is that kind of scenario.
Yes. You have to be at a certain level of desperation, I would think, to go down that pathway. But I suppose that there are certainly women out there that would. Now, there are reports that Andrew could be called to the US to testify over his links to Jeffrey Epstein if Democrats win big in the country’s coming November elections.
And I know that you alluded to this just before. One top Democrat has said that they will help British police investigating the paedophile financier gain access to the unredacted files, allowing them to bypass a critical barrier impeding their inquiries. I feel like for so long, Andrew, there have been rumours. Will he, won’t he go to the US and testify?
I personally would love to see it. I’m sure you would. The popcorn would be out — we’d be watching with great interest. But does he have to? Is there ever a requirement? And even if Democrats do take the House, would he still be required to go there?
No, he’s not required to go there. And there’s no chance that he will go there. Why would he? He’s refused to cooperate with victims’ lawyers and with various American politicians over many years. So that’s just not going to happen. But it is interesting that there are these developments with these files being released.
I think one of the interesting things, again, is the FBI did supply material to Scotland Yard many years ago, which seems to have been ignored. So there is a case in this country for bringing charges against him. I think it’s pretty clear from the Epstein files that he did share unauthorised material with people who often he had financial arrangements with.
So he’s not off the hook, but this idea that he’s going to go to the States and talk to anyone is, I’m afraid, pie in the sky. If the midterms change and the Democrats control both houses, then I think there will be pressure for some of the redacted files to be released. And there will be, I think, more encouragement for people to come forward and the DOJ to release the material they’re still holding — about 1.5 million pages that haven’t been made public.
As we said, there’s still certainly a long way to run in this story. But no doubt, Andrew, you are all over it. Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York and British historian. Always a pleasure to have you back on the show. I so appreciate all of your insights into these matters. Thank you very, very much for joining me.
Not at all — pleasure.
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