How the Palace Tried to get Andrew off the hook

February 21, 2022March 29, 2022 / Revolting Subject / 3 Comments

Bizarrely, when it comes to Prince Andrew, there is some sympathy around for the Royal Family & Monarchy. As if…. he’s just an aberration – the embarassing black sheep of the family. Conveniently ignoring that his behaviour is a predictable result of enabling arrogant toffs who are never ever told they are wrong Sir.

Let’s look back on Prince Andrew and the workings of the Palace – and note how the Monarchy’s army of PR people and “aides” assisted and enabled him at every turn.

We all now know – and he does not deny – that Prince Andrew forced himself on a vulnerable teenager. This Bad Apple theory suits the secretive inner workings of the monarchy – it obscures the fact that the palace that has been straining to help him avoid justice all along. Enabling Andrew. That’s the story no-one is focusing on…

1999 – Prince Andrew flies with Maxwell to Epstein’s island. Flight logs show this. Prince Andrew’s security & the palace knew this. Did no-one think….erm….to ask ANY questions ? Did the Met Bodyguards who accompanied him report what they saw at Little St James ? What say you Buckingham Palace? It really stinks.

1999 – Epstein and Maxwell stay at Balmoral. Is there any security clearance or background check required ? Did anyone query who they were ? Or if Prince Andrew says they’re his chums, do they dare not question Royal Judgement (mind you Savile was allowed to roam around the palaces as he pleased)

2001 – Prince Andrew Rapes Virgina – The Photo. The house. The vulnerable 17 year old runaway surrounded by older rich and powerful people. So, Buckingham Palace – why can’t you tell us …were Andrew’s security with him ? Why are their logs not available ? Why won’t the palace produce the notes that prove he was in Pizza Express that night ? Did they rip out & destroy the pages that said ‘Tramp nightclub. Private residence in Belgravia with young girl’ ?

2012 –THE PALACE HELPS ARRANGE FOR EPSTEIN TO PAY OFF FERGIE’S DEBTS: that’s what happened. It was all arranged via ‘The Duke’s Office’ – i.e. palace staff. Despite Epstein’s conviction – nobody objected. They were not duped, they facilitated. Later Fergie apologises for taking £15k from Epstein to pay off her debts – saying “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf.” Thanks for clarifying that Fergie. She also added “This is the first time ever in my life, and I mean ‘ever’, that I have been debt free. It allows me to go forward to do what I do, being a good mother, a philanthropist for children…”

There you go, a “philanthropist for children”, who eagerly grabbed money from a convicted paedophile.

2015 – THE PALACE VICTIM BLAMES – “It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with [the woman]. The allegations made are false and without any foundation.” thunders Buckingham Palace. Think about that for a moment – those are not Prince Andrew’s words, they are The British Monarchy’s words. They are issued from on high, and come with the full heft of the establishment behind them. They are written by a highly paid aide, with expensive lawyers whispering advice. I’d imagine the Queen would have had to approve the wording. We now know they are LIES. You, the taxpayer paid ( lots) to victimise a young girl, to upset and traduce her.

THE PALACE THREATENS JOURNALISM – When the initial story broke, the Palace started flexing its muscle, making veiled threats against newspapers who might reveal further information. ABC newsreader Amy Robach (unwittingly) revealed that she had recorded an interview with Andrew’s victim – Virginia – and that it had never been broadcast. “I’ve had the story for three years,” Robach says in the video ( which no longer seems to be online, but there’s a version here – warning links to FOX ). “We would not put it on the air. Um, first of all, I was told, ‘Who was Jeffrey Epstein? No one knows who that is. This is a stupid story. Then The Palace found out that we had her whole allegations about Prince Andrew and threatened us a million different ways.”

September 2019 – “sources close to” Prince Andrew ( i.e. the palace and his PR people ) claimed the Andrew / Virgina photo was faked – absolutely desperate stuff from the palace, trying to undermine the victim and their irrefutable evidence.

November 2019 – The Prince and the Palace thinks they can outsmart us, with a tell all interview with Emily Maitliss. Whilst turned out to be a great scoop, it’s worth considering the dubious journalistic practice – it took place in the grandeur of Buckingham Palace ( ergo, lending it state-like gravitas ). Also, the interview was not in keeping with news norms – Maitlis discussed the content of the interview in advance ( over tea at the palace, Prince Andrew himself declared he thought the photograph was a doctored fake. ) Astonishing though it may seen, the incredibly stupid alibi – I was at Pizza Express – was prearranged by the palace before the interview. His answer would have been rehearsed.

From Emily Maitlis’s blog about the interview

Feb 2020 – An exasperated FBI announced “Prince Andrew has provided zero cooperation“. “Sources” tell the newspapers that he is ‘more than happy to talk’. But of course, those unattributable sources ( i.e. The Palace) are just lying. The Monarchy is run by the Queen, and no-one is making Prince Andrew cooporate with the law, and they continue to lie to the public, and besmirch the victim.

There may be other countless moments the palace intervened to pervert the course of justice. They know Prince Andrew is toast. I wonder what role the Government took in the whole thing. Did they apply pressure to get rid of charges?

But they don’t want anyone scrutinising THEIR ROLE in the whole sleazy farrago. Because you – the taxpayer – pay for palace staff, for PR, for lawyers.

Which is why we should not draw a line under it.

( and once again, respect & sympathy for Virginia Giuffre, the girl from rough circumstances who took on the establishment and won. Go Girl.)

[ UPDATE: 29th March – Prince Andrew, is pride of place beside the Queen at Westminster Abbey for Prince Phillip’s memorial service. Being chauffered, heralded, protected. ]

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The Royal Family and the Environment

August 3, 2021August 4, 2021 / Revolting Subject / Leave a comment

A much loved National Figurehead. And Prince William.

From their Private Jets, emerging from their huge palaces, leaning out of their landrover windows – the Royal Family love to lecture us that WE must do something to save the planet.

The unfolding Environmental Catastrophe does need urgently addressed. It is indeed the most cataclysmic threat of our time.

Prince Charles egotistically bores around claiming that he invented environmentalism and Royal PR eagerly shoves the Queen alongside David Attenborough and comes up with documentaries like The Queen’s Green Planet. Attenborough should place a stalking restriction on Prince William, as baldy is always elbowing in like they are bezzies.

But Oxfam tells us, that – in fact – the worlds Wealthiest 1% were responsible for more than double the emissions of the poorest 50%

Do the royal family question multinationals ? Do they critique captialism ? Do they set any sort of example by downsizing out of a palace ? Do they cut back on private jets, or even stop flying altogether ? Do they even do low bar gestures like stop burning their Grouse Moors up at Balmoral ?

Do they point out that the Rich are Disproportionately responsible for the mess of the planet ? They’re pals with Richard Branson, do they point at him and say – it’s his fault ?

Of course not.

Prince William goes with the golf club bar idiocy theory – too many people . The offensive idea being if there weren’t so many babies being born in Africa having children then Willy and his polo playing chums could continue to swan about in their Landrover Discoverys.

Father of 3, Prince William, criticises population growth

In 2020 Prince Charles was giving a speech to scientists in Cambridge about the need to lower aircraft omissions. Charles arrived in a private helicopter.

And then recently, the Queen abused her position to exempt herself from a very moderate environmental plan to cut carbon emissions. This is the opposite of making an effort.

This is refusing to make any effort whatsoever, even if it means having to actually interfere to change the law.

The richest people, are demonstrably, most responsible for the climate.

The Royal Family are apologists and legitimisers of the rich. They are friends with Plutocrats and Oil sheiks.

Don’t tell US what to do. Tell the Sultan of Bruei. Tell your royal pals in Kuwait, in UAE. Tell Qatari Royal Family.

I did love when Greta Thunberg met Chaz though. No fawning. No curtseying. No primped up in a stupid dress. Greta looked at him in a – This is a Waste of Everyone’s Time way ( of course reported sycophantically as a meeting of minds)

The Royal Family are occasionally right about the environment.

But by championing it, they immediately depoliticise the issue. They are symbols of conservative culture. They enable corporations. With no qualifications or expertise, Prince Charles – and now William – lecture us from their yachts and palaces.

Maybe when they close down their huge palaces, when they refuse to fly in private jets, or in first class, or in jets, or at all – when they replace their convoys of Bentley’s and Rolls Royces with a bike…

Then we’ll listen.

But until then. STFU HRHs.

When oul’ Queeny kicks the Golden Bucket…

February 13, 2019July 24, 2022 / Revolting Subject / 2 Comments

Day after day we’re sold the fiction that the Royal Family – and in particular The Queen – is some sort of ever present po faced Demi God. But, you know what….she’s gonna go….

Elizabeth Windsor was born in 1926. Phillip Mountbatten was born in 1921. Phil’s gone…and soon…

. There’ll be a clamour for wailing peasants and tearful celebrities on an unprecedented scale. The black ties that BBC reporters carry with them, will be donned as part of Operation London Bridge .

Your Revolting Scribe here feels sympathy for any human being who dies, and it’s not a great look to be actively cheering on an Old Persons Death. Ultimately, a rich aristocrat who I never met, will have be gone and I won’t be in any way upset, but because I’m human – nor will I be leading a buckfast drinking Conga down the Mall.

But I will be resisting the compulsary sadfacing that is expected of us.

Because schedules will be cleared. The BBC will drop all comedy ( how dare you LAUGH at a time like this ?). Drippy music will be played even on Radio 1. The message will be clear – an posh old lady dying after a long life of luxury is a NATIONAL TRAGEDY.

How will this work with other news ? What if Betty pops her clogs on the same day as Brexit ? Or a horrible violent attack elsewhere? Or an hour before the Champions League final? How will the BBC cover differing reactions – Windsor will react in a very different way from the Falls Road Belfast, or Liverpool, or Glasgow….( answer – they won’t ).

[ a slightly odd Vanity Fair video about events]

The establishment knows, an interegnum, is a potentially volatile time. Whilst Republicans will be screamed at to show respect, the machinery of the establishment will kick in, ruthless ensuring that daring to even discuss the future of the monarchy is a sacriligous scandal. If we dare to ask if King Charles is really such a Good idea, the Royal Experts ( who already cashed in by signing exclusive deals to be part of Sky News rolling coverage) will declare we’re crass and hateful…

At the EXACT moment, when it’s vital to discuss whether The Monarchy should continue, UK Republicans will be told to be silent or be labelled callous opportunists.

I hope Republic have a plan for dealing with this, I hope Republican MPs speak up.

But in the age of social media, they can’t just declare that we’re ALL inconsolable weeping wrecks. We can make our voices heard. We can be visible. We have to say….

Sorry For Your Loss Windsors, But Lets Leave it There….

[ Please share this blog on Facebook, or elsewhere. Win the Revolution comes, you’ll get a free AIR BnB discount voucher for a Night in Balmoral*]

[ *not true. But do share]

The Royal Family, Spitfire Crywanking and Brexit…

December 11, 2018December 12, 2018 / Revolting Subject / Leave a comment

The Royal Family embody an unpleasant jingoistic strain of Britishness – entitled, posh, and greeted with unquestioning deference everywhere they go.

They are all about inherited wealth, about never explaining their actions, about Union jacks, military, hunting, public school. They are about rigid hierarchy and unquestioned privilege. When purple faced idiots harrumph that The Royal Family Is All About Tradition – we should say well lets examine the toxic traditions they embody…

And in that grumpy visage of the queen, the tabloids and MPs seem to take pride in an arrogant notion that there is no requirement for the ruling class to explain, justify or listen.

They are presented as ‘The Best of British’ and this in turn infects British culture ( and in more recent times, that would be more specifically English culture ) with a bovine, entrenched certainty and a nostalgia for an glorified past where everyone knew their place under the royal family.

I call it – Spitfire Crywanking. The culture that weeps and simultaneously gets shamefully turned on by spitfires, royalty and the empire. Yet the same culture wallows in self pity – curdling to bitterness- because the rest of the world refuses to be impressed by such a mouldy reactionary world view.

In Fintan O’Toole’s book on Brexit, he argues that Britain never got over winning the war – that Britain triumphed but the spoils went elsewhere. Germany, Italy, Japan had to reinvent themselves, to get rid of old archaic nationalistic symbols, like, Royal Families.

But UK still has its dreary, dense Windors. The BBC dredges up some an tedious item about Spitfires every 4 days. The Royal Variety show is tugging its forelock as I type this.

And ultimately, after festering in the culture of Spitfire Crywanking for years, Britain is going to huffs its way out of Europe. The Royal Family didn’t cause Brexit, but they are part of the right wing horseshit in which such regressive thinking blooms.

The rightwing culture we are steeped in dares not name itself. But you heard it here first SpitFireCrywanking. Reject it. Reject the Royals.

Royal Wedding Disruption Tool kit.

May 17, 2018May 17, 2018 / Revolting Subject / 1 Comment

On Saturday, two wealthy people I’ve never met get married. I hope they’re happy with one another and enjoy their Swan Cake. Hope a fight breaks out and Uncle Andrew doesn’t paw any vulnerable teenagers who’ve flown over on private jets.

It’s hard being a UK republican and fighting against feudalism when all it’s bling is blazing. We’re cast as th Ancient Mariner, cornering the wedding guests – And till my ghastly tale is told / this heart within me burns

However, the entire circus will be used to ram monarchy down our throats, cementing the idea that we all love the upper classes, that we are all in awe of gold tiaras, that we all adore gazing up at the gammon and tugging our forelock…

It’s blatantly political, and should be resisted.

So here’s some online ammo

HASHTAGS: I can’t figure out a catchy one yet – #meh, #feudalnotfairytale, #breadnotcircuses #notwatching and of course #Republicnow. Tweet me more suggestions. Using the nauseating #royalwedding hashtag is encouraged to get out of our bubbles.

Here’s a link to the £32m COST

( also worth pointing this out when the inevitable retort comes that these events pay from themselves that…they don’t )

The homeless moved of the streets. I can’t think of a more apt and embarassing metaphor. Get out of the way Real Poor. We’re going to shove you and your unsightly poverty out of the way and replace you with Useful Idiots who’ll cheer for the very system that oppresses. It’s like something from Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince.

BBC coverage – here’s some embarrassing BBC coverage from previous royal events where the presenter hoots with laughter at the queens racism. Imagine David Jason had told that story about a darts player or someone. There would have been stony silence.

The tourist nonsense – easily rebutted on the excellent Republic Win the Argument site.

The Yougov poll that found 66% of us were not interested in Royal Wedding

Please tweet and Facebook. The BBC and media are determined to only feature obsequeious. By ignoring a very valid political objection, they are insulting us. I’ll be off watching Celtic.

And every time they say ‘The Nation has royal fever’ or ‘everyone is excited’ etc – they count us ALL as dribbling monarchists. Be insulted. Be noisy. Be Funny. Be daft. Be smart

Reasons to be cheerful

June 29, 2017June 29, 2017 / Revolting Subject / Leave a comment

Making the case against the Monarchy often feels like pissing into royal wind. Because, to my astonishment, most people have an (unexamined) sentimental attachment to this feudal circus.

royal-fans-camped-outside-royal-baby-hospital

Not weirdos

Even obvious royal disasters like the queen interfering in the Scottish referendum or when the Windsors could barely manage to squeeze out a tear between them when poor oul Princess-Of-Hearts-England’s Rose In the Wind died…these awkward historical facts are hastily glossed over. Or sympathetically re-imagined featuring Helen Mirren.

Forlocks are tugged. Grovelling returns.

So for the rebel alliance, it often feels like things will never change – and indeed that is the point of the whole charade – for us plebs gaze at the palaces with half wit wonder and understand that They are immovable – THE ROCK OF MONARCHY on which the glorious UK caste system is constructed.

But then, things never change until they do.

So here’s a couple of republican reasons to be cheerful…

They try to pretend that Queeny is a near deity like in her existence, but she’s human. And she’s going to the Great Royal Enclosure in the sky soon enought (and please, be prepared for an orgy of orchestrated sad face ). And whilst I won’t cheer the death of another person, nor will I feel any sense of loss.Nor should you. You don’t know her either.

Which brings us to the First republican reason to be cheerful – that Charles is next in line, and he is clearly a pitiful ol’ toff with a head full of broken biscuits.

Please feel free to exercise your Republican Anti-Charles muscles here. He’s an unsympathetic character, he’s clumsy, he’s dull.

The second reason is that Harry Windsor’s said something genuinely intriguing – that not one of the Unremarkable Windsor Family actually wants to wear the crown, and that he nearly ran away from the circus.

: Amazing. A FREE MAGIC DINOSAUR EGG!

This is not as satisfying a finale as you and I doing wheelies round the palace corridors whilst raiding the wine cellars, but we would accept their surrender.

Monarchy is a form of child abuse – not as some of the rumour-mongers would have it – but as in, being a royal kid is being brought up as a freak, with no options, no real freedom to grow, and surrounded by flunkeys. 12 year old Harry was forced to stiff upper lip behind his mother’s coffin. C’mon, that’s pretty traumatising. (Interesting that Chazza never even got a ‘thanks Dad’ in same interview)

And thirdly, the role of the right wing media is declining. For years the monarchy has received relentlessly fawning coverage in the newspapers. But who, under the age of 30, buys a newspaper? Social media is doesn’t do pull out souvenir specials.

And there’s only so many hammy Ant’n’Dec specials the royals can do.

So make your voice heard – tweet, facebook, declare yourself a republican. The only other option is to behave as if we already are a republic. When no-one watches royal specials, when no-one turns up at visits, then they’re already gone….

And finally….a self declared, proud republican very nearly became PM. Fancy that !

And to continue our rebellion …you could….y’know….share a link to this blog on Facebook or Tweeter ?

Ready for the revolution compadres.

They assume you love the Windsor Family

July 13, 2015April 23, 2018 / Revolting Subject / Leave a comment

We’re relentlessly told that the Monarchy projects a good image of the UK on a world stage.

Er… posh, stale, bloodsport loving, thick, white, boorish, military cloned hereditary Windsor Yahs – is that what we want the world to think of first when they think of the UK in 2015?

I know the snootyness actually appeals to some ( “oh gee I love your Downtown Abby” ) but c’mon we don’t sentimentalise rickets, or workhouses, or other symptoms of class discrimination.

I’ve battered on about the arguments against royalty here, there and everywhere, and Republic do it better at their Winning the Argument section. But sometimes logic doesn’t make people change their minds.

What’s important, is to change perceptions, to point out that the Windsors are naff. Are ugly and uncool. Are as appealing as Nicholas Witchell’s lesbian crushing bumhole.

There will always be Peasant Crown Monkeys who gimp it up for the camera….

People like this guy – who wrote Diana and Dodi’s name on his face every day at the Diana inquest. You’ll also spot him at outside their private hospital festooned in union jacks.

“I’ve always been a Diana fan, but last year I woke up one day and decided to paint her name on my forehead – it just felt right,”

Ok, I’m a sarcastic snidey blogger and don’t want to be cruel to this man but clearly…he has a few issues. But again and again, the uk media and (embarrassingly) the international media love these ‘umble types, and play up the idea that they’re representative of attitudes towards the Windsors.

And who else do they count as a monarchists ?

You actually. The media default assumption is we all are. If Das Feudal Circus is in town and an office worker munching on tasty Greggs sausage roll dawdles over to the kerb for a gawp, they’re hailed by the press as a royal ‘well-wisher’, who ‘welcomed’ that vulgar big Bentley into town.

Anyone staring at the bizarre freakshow family is portrayed as in thrall to the monarchy.

And every criticism is shunned and buried, no-one draws attention to disinterest…

Consider the scandalous fact that Scotland’s newly opened hospital – built entirely with public money – was opened by the queen in front a few hundred folk, some of whom were keen to see the monarchy, some of whom were just hanging out.

For unfathomable reasons the hospital was named the Queen Elizabeth University hospital Glasgow ( despite the fact that the queen doesn’t use the nhs, hasn’t been to university, and purred with pleasure down the phone to David Cameron when Scotland shat it at the referendum. Glasgow voted yes ).

So far so tediously predictable..

Don’t let them count you as a Monarchist.

A Modest Proposal: Use the NHS

April 15, 2015January 23, 2019 / Revolting Subject / 7 Comments

We’re constantly told by the Ruling Classes that The Royals Represent Us.

As I’ve venom-ed elsewhere, this is risible regal guff.

In a world full of slobbering sycophants and relentless royal fawnery – I don’t like to help the Windsor family with their PR at all….but whilst we wait for that guillotine bought on ebay, I have a modest suggestions.

Get one’s royal arse to the NHS.

Bizarrely, at the opening of each new NHS hospital, the royal family turn up, awkward and blazered. They pull a wee rope, try to hide how bored they are, patronise the staff, nod at some equipment, then 45 minutes later hop into their luxury cars and get rushed back to one of their many palaces ( this is what the papers call ‘hard working royals’ ). In some respects, it’d be more appropriate if they turned up to close NHS wards given the drain on the national finances….

Well know sex trafficker and boor Prince Andrew declares he’d like to leave now

But when Das Windsor get the golden trots, or need their heir pulled, or get their piles fixed, they don’t trust the NHS. Even though – scandalously – they only have an NHS surgery which no one else can use in Buckingham Palace. And they interfere and try to make the NHS spunk money on their uninformed idiotic ideas. Anyway when they get the lurgy, all their faux NHS interest and bland nodding disappears, and like a rat up a golden-drainpipe, they scuttle off to some expensive private hospital. The press rarely draw any attention to this.

Imagine how good it would be if the headline was “Toff Tot: Kate snubs NHS again”?

Of course monarchists will waffle on about security and a load of other bollocks to justify their snooty preferences. Just think of the positive endorsement it would give the NHS. It would show solidarity with the people. It would reveal to the world how good the NHS is. It would show commitment to something that we all use.

But the monarchy is steeped in snobbery, and they won’t. And even if they did it’d be tokenistic.

But amidst the impending royal-baby idiocy that most of us aren’t even interested in, it’s good to at least draw attention to the fact that, feudal sprogs emerge from magic windsor vaginas ( you wanna be head of state? You didn’t fall from a Windsor Womb ? Fugedabout it ) in private hospitals that cost £6k a night.

To them, NHS staff are from the wrong caste.

Everyday, every newspaper churns out royal praise and platitudes. Please tweet or share this blog on Facebook as a Tiny Act Of Resistance.

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