He was never charged with a crime

but there seem to be a lot of people who believe that Prince Andrew is guilty of one of the most heinous of crimes.

Let it be said here that I do not think I would like Prince Andrew if I met him. He doesn't appeal to me at all. I most definitely do not like his choice of friends - if Epstein was ever really anyone's friend. I don't like the look of the company the Prince was keeping - and yes, that apparently included at least one former President of the United States and some other rather powerful people.

But was he actually guilty of the crime of sleeping with an under 18yr old? Is that photograph of him with his arm around her waist real or doctored? 

We may never know for certain but, in all fairness, I have to point out that the allegations are very unlikely. We are talking about a Prince of the Firm, a Prince of the Royal Family. Most people are unaware of the fact that he would have had a security detail with him at all times. They would have been present at those "parties". The Prince would have been under observation at all times. That he could somehow slip away and sleep with an underage girl is, perhaps, remotely possible but it is highly improbable.

What is more it did not become a matter of public interest for some years. If wrongdoing had occurred it would have been leaked to the press at the time. It was much too juicy a story for them to sit on it. Yes, it might have been hedged around with "X was allegedly seen..." but they would have taken legal advice and published something. Instead it came up after Epstein was arrested and questions were raised about "compensation".

We can ask too what was a "child" of that age doing at a "party" like that without her parents? Why was she there? Don't tell me her parents did not know where she was. They did and they apparently had no concerns about it. Would this girl really have kept the information to herself for some years? Again, it is so unlikely that questions need to be asked. 

 There is also something else which needs to be considered. Who else was sued but not charged with any offence? To the best of my knowledge there is nobody else. There were very wealthy people at those parties, household names. Were they all completely innocent of any wrong doing? Did they lack all knowledge of what was going on around them? Why haven't they been called to account? We can be certain any large payments from them could not be hidden. Someone, somewhere would have said something.

Perhaps we could ask whether action was taken at a time when those involved believed it was most likely to succeed. Was it taken in the belief that the Prince would simply hand over the sum demanded in order not to detract from the celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations? We will likely never know.

What we do know is that the Prince handed over a great deal of money. It was likely done not because of any sexual misconduct with an underage person but because he made some serious errors of misjudgment and refused to listen to the advice he was undoubtedly given.

We now have the first born child of the late Queen as King. We might laugh at him "talking to plants" and for his other quirks but he is very committed to some causes we should all care about, most notably the environment. His sister, Princess Anne,  is a very hard working person who, like her mother, has used her position for the benefit of others wherever possible.  Prince Edward is perhaps quieter but he and his partner have been steady and hardworking too. Their work with young people does not receive the attention it likely deserves. They all endure criticism and ridicule. Yes, the monarchy is perhaps an anachronism but it does serve a purpose as well.

I suspect Prince Andrew is the least intelligent of the Queen's children and the one who is least suited to royal life. He undoubtedly needs more to do but it won't be in public life. Perhaps he could take over an island somewhere and farm sheep?