PM salutes Elizabeth II’s ‘unwavering dedication’ as she becomes first British monarch to celebrate platinum jubilee
Boris Johnson has paid tribute to the Queen’s “unwavering dedication to this nation” as she became the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee.
The Queen marks a historic 70 years on the throne on Sunday 6 February.
Continue reading...Monarch expresses ‘sincere wish’ in candid message marking 70th anniversary of her accession
The Queen has expressed her “sincere wish” that the Duchess of Cornwall becomes Queen Consort when Charles becomes king.
In a candid message marking the 70th anniversary of her accession, the monarch made clear her desire, unambiguously paving the way for Queen Camilla.
Continue reading...Marking 70 years on the throne will be a private occasion of mixed feelings for the monarch
Seventy years after becoming monarch far sooner than she could have anticipated, the Queen will mark the anniversary of her accession on Sunday at Sandringham, where her father George VI died aged 56 in 1952.
Though it has long been her custom to mark this milestone at the Norfolk estate, this year has added poignancy. The Duke of Edinburgh, her “strength and stay” during 73 years of marriage, and who broke news to her of the king’s death while they were thousands of miles away at a Kenyan game lodge, is no longer at her side.
Continue reading...What the royal’s lawyers said in his answer and defences to the sexual abuse suit against him
Prince Andrew has filed his answer and defences to Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit against him, brought in the New York district court. Here are some of the key points from the court papers. The prince’s lawyers say:
Prince Andrew denies the allegations contained in paragraph one of the complaint. (Paragraph one of the complaint: “This suit arises out of defendant’s sexual abuse of plaintiff when she was under the age of 18 years old.”)
Prince Andrew lacks sufficient information to admit or deny the allegations contained in paragraph two of the complaint. (Paragraph two: “During 2000–2002, beginning when plaintiff was 16, plaintiff was the victim of sex trafficking and abuse by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.”)
Prince Andrew denies the first clause in paragraph seven of the complaint. He lacks sufficient information to admit or deny the remaining allegations contained in that paragraph. (Paragraph seven: “Prince Andrew was a close friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite who spent years overseeing and managing Epstein’s sex trafficking network, and actively recruited underage girls, including plaintiff.”)
Prince Andrew denies the allegations contained in paragraph nine of the complaint. (Paragraph nine: “After publicly feigning ignorance about the scope of Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation and sympathy for Epstein’s victims, Prince Andrew has refused to cooperate with US authorities in their investigation and prosecution of Epstein and his co-conspirators.”)
Prince Andrew admits that he met Epstein in or around 1999. He denies the remaining allegations in the first sentence of paragraph 30 of the complaint, and lacks sufficient information to admit or deny the allegations contained in the second sentence of that paragraph. (Paragraph 30: “According to Prince Andrew, he first met Epstein in 1999 through Maxwell, Prince Andrew’s close friend. Prince Andrew and Maxwell have been photographed at numerous social events together.”)
Prince Andrew lacks sufficient information to admit or deny the allegations contained in paragraph 33 of the complaint. (Paragraph 33: “In 2006, Prince Andrew invited Epstein to his daughter’s 18th birthday party, despite Epstein being charged with procuring a minor for prostitution only one month prior.”)
Prince Andrew lacks sufficient information to admit or deny the allegations contained in paragraph 38 of the complaint. (Paragraph 38: “The below photograph depicts Prince Andrew, plaintiff, and Maxwell at Maxwell’s home prior to Prince Andrew sexually abusing plaintiff.”)
[Virginia] Giuffre’s complaint should be dismissed because this court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the action.
Giuffre, through her own actions, inactions, and other conduct – including, without limitation, entering into the 2009 release agreement with Epstein containing a broad third-party release of her claims against Prince Andrew and others – waived the claims now asserted in the complaint.
Assuming, without admitting, that Giuffre has suffered any injury or damage, Giuffre and/or others, who are not Prince Andrew, contributed in whole or in part to the alleged damage.
Assuming, without admitting, that Giuffre has suffered any injury or damage alleged in the complaint, Giuffre’s claims are barred by the doctrine of consent.
Giuffre’s alleged causes of action are barred in whole or in part by her own wrongful conduct and the doctrine of unclean hands.
Giuffre’s claims are barred in whole or in part by the applicable statute(s) of limitations.
Continue reading...Twitter and YouTube pages no longer accessible, while royal website refers to his role in the past tense
The Duke of York’s social media accounts are being deleted as he continues his legal battle to fight a sexual assault lawsuit filed against him in the US.
Last week the Queen stripped her second son of his honorary military affiliations and royal patronages, and he agreed not to use his royal style HRH in any official capacity.
Continue reading...Pollsters predict comfortable win for Mia Mottley, but she faces criticism of running a ‘one-party state’
She wowed Cop26 by castigating dithering global leaders for inflicting a “death sentence” on island nations and then made headlines around the world when she ditched the Queen as head of state, installing the singer Rihanna as an official national hero.
On Wednesday, the Barbados prime minister, Mia Mottley, hopes her soaring international profile will translate into a second term when the country goes to the polls in a snap general election.
Continue reading...Duke of Sussex seeks judicial review of Home Office refusal to let him pay for protection after being chased by photographers last summer
The Duke of Sussex has filed a claim for a judicial review against a Home Office decision not to allow him to personally pay for police protection for himself and his family while in the UK.
Harry wants to bring his son Archie and baby daughter Lilibet to visit from the US, but he and his family are “unable to return to his home” because it is too dangerous, a legal representative said.
Continue reading...Growing clamour for royal to lose dukedom and taxpayer-funded Scotland Yard security detail
The Duke of York faces calls to pay for his own security and relinquish his dukedom after being stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages in the fallout over the civil sexual assault case against him.
The calls come as his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, welcomed the New York court ruling that paved the way for her lawsuit against Prince Andrew to proceed to trial, as she pledged to “continue to expose the truth”.
Continue reading...Boris Johnson’s spokesperson says ‘it’s deeply regrettable that this took place at a time of national mourning’
Downing Street was forced to issue an unprecedented public apology to the Queen on Friday over parties held in No 10 on the eve of her husband’s funeral, amid mounting fury from grassroots Tories.
Conservative MPs will hold crisis talks over the weekend about how to respond to allegations of a party culture in Westminster while the rest of the country was in lockdown.
Continue reading...Queen followed Covid rules at husband’s funeral, sitting alone in face mask away from rest of family
Further allegations of Downing Street parties taking place on the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh’s socially distanced funeral have been met with widespread anger across the political spectrum, bookending a turbulent week for Boris Johnson, who is facing renewed calls to resign.
Prince Philip’s funeral took place in the private chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday 17 April, the day after two leaving dos were reportedly held at No 10 at a time when such mixing was banned. The Queen, in mourning black, wearing a face mask and sitting alone to maintain social distancing, became one of the defining images of the national lockdown.
Covid restrictions had a substantial impact on the proceedings, with the guest list trimmed from 800 to 30.
The Queen attended the funeral wearing a face mask and socially distanced from the rest of her family, who were seated in their respective household bubbles, at the service in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Those in the funeral procession were required to put on face masks before entering the chapel.
Bottles of hand sanitiser featured alongside the traditional dressing of floral arrangements and family wreaths.
Original plans for military processions through London or Windsor were scrapped, with the royal family asking the public not to gather at the castle or other royal residences.
The choir was also limited to four singers, while the few guests were banned from singing in line with Covid regulations.
Continue reading...Giuffre says she will ‘continue to expose truth’ and ‘seek justice from those who hurt me and others’
Virginia Giuffre has praised a court ruling enabling her sexual assault civil lawsuit against the Duke of York to proceed to trial and said she will “continue to expose the truth”.
Giuffre wrote on Twitter she was “pleased” with the ruling, adding: “I’m glad I will have the chance to continue to expose the truth & I am deeply grateful to my extraordinary legal team.
Continue reading...Fortnum & Mason’s judges include Mary Berry and event will form part of celebrations for 70-year reign
Fortnum & Mason is launching a competition to find a dish celebrating the Queen’s 70 years on the throne, marking the beginning of official jubilee festivities.
Much like Poulet Reine Elizabeth, more commonly known as coronation chicken, invented by Le Cordon Bleu London for the Queen’s coronation banquet in 1953, it is hoped the Platinum Pudding competition will serve as a long-lasting reminder of the 95 year-old monarch’s reign.
Continue reading...The Queen’s favourite child, under siege in the press as he awaits a critical court ruling, is not the first obnoxious royal. But he has damaged ‘the Firm’ – and it will have to change
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, KG, GCVO, CD, ADC, turns 62 next month. It is long past the age at which a man is expected to stop being a cause of concern and embarrassment to his parents. And yet Andrew, who is said to be the Queen’s favourite child, has exposed his mother to the greatest threat to the royal family’s reputation in living memory.
As he awaits the decision of a New York judge, Lewis Kaplan, in the sex assault case brought by Virginia Giuffre, the prince finds himself in the deeply unedifying position of trying to evade court with a secret silencing deal struck by his late friend and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
Continue reading...‘Potential defendants’ are sweating (if they can) over whether Virginia Giuffre’s settlement with Epstein will protect them
Where does Prince Andrew drive to in his brand new, £80,000 Range Rover – seemingly his only appearances these days in anything that could be considered the outside world? The duke is often pictured motoring broodingly out of his Royal Lodge home in Windsor at the wheel of this high-performance vehicle, perhaps making his in-car security detail listen to a podcast about putting, or a funny song about a whoopee cushion. (The precise contours of Andrew’s cultural life have always remained a tantalising mystery.) Some local visits to his mother at Windsor Castle have been chalked up, as well they might be. But we’ll come to the duke’s ominous financial reliance on the Queen in a minute.
Were The Artist Formerly Known as Airmiles to take an aimless intra-Berkshire spin this morning, he would be able to listen to news reports concerning the newly unsealed settlement his accuser reached with Jeffrey Epstein in 2009. Virginia Giuffre signed a $500,000 deal with Epstein, and Andrew’s lawyers believe her agreement not to sue anyone who could be described as a “potential defendant” could get HRH off the hook of having to face, in civil court, her claims that he sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was a minor. (He denies everything, vehemently.)
Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...Pressure grows on duke to settle alleged victim’s claim before key hearing this week
Two of Prince Andrew’s efforts to prevent or stall the progression of Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s sex assault lawsuit against him were blocked on Saturday when a US federal judge ordered the prince’s lawyers to turn over key legal documents, increasing pressure to settle claims before a crucial court hearing this week.
Judge Lewis A Kaplan, in a written order, told the prince’s lawyers they must turn over documents on the schedule that has been set in the lawsuit brought by Guiffre who claims she was abused – aged 17 – by the prince on multiple occasions in 2001 while she was being sexually abused by financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Continue reading...Goodbye England’s Rose was included in 1997 service after dean of Westminster urged ‘boldness’
Westminster Abbey originally anticipated that Elton John would sing Your Song at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, rather than Goodbye England’s Rose, his reworking of Candle in the Wind, newly released records show.
An early order-of-service draft included the lyrics of Your Song, although it was mistitled Our Song. A second draft, sent for approval to Buckingham Palace by the dean of Westminster Abbey, Dr Wesley Carr, substituted Candle in the Wind.
Continue reading...Lawyer argues court does not have jurisdiction as Virginia Giuffre’s ties to Colorado are ‘very limited’
Prince Andrew’s lawyer has called for the US civil case against the royal over alleged sexual assault to be stopped because his accuser is “actually domiciled in Australia”.
Virginia Giuffre is suing the Queen’s son for allegedly assaulting her when she was a teenager. Andrew strongly denies the allegation.
Continue reading...Police say suspect was carrying an offensive weapon and royal family have been informed
An armed man was arrested after attempting to break into Windsor Castle where the Queen was celebrating Christmas with her family.
Police said the intruder was carrying an offensive weapon but did not break into any buildings on Saturday morning.
Continue reading...Photograph of TV address released by palace shows Queen sitting next to a portrait of her and Prince Philip
The Queen’s Christmas Day message is expected to be a particularly personal one this year, her first since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.
A photograph released by Buckingham Palace ahead of her televised address shows the Queen sitting behind a desk in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, accompanied by a single, framed picture of the couple taken in 2007 at Broadlands country house, Hampshire, to mark their diamond wedding anniversary.
Continue reading...Image taken at home shows daughter held up by her mother, as prince sits with son Archie on his knee
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have released the first picture of their daughter, Lilibet, with Meghan holding up the laughing child in an image on their Christmas card.
The photo, which also shows Prince Harry with curly haired Archie on his knee, was taken by Alexi Lubomirski this summer at the couple’s home in Santa Barbara, California.
Continue reading...