Prince Andrew ‘might depart UK for China’ after Epstein scandal regardless of Sheikh ‘supply’
Prince Andrew could potentially leave the UK for China following his downfall, royal biographer Andrew Lownie has speculated, though he admits he has no evidence for the claim
Where is he going?(Image: Karwai Tang, WireImagevia Getty Images)
Disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor could potentially flee the UK for an unexpected destination following his downfall, a royal author has claimed.
The former Duke of York was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office last week, before being released pending further investigation. This comes after a string of damaging revelations from the Epstein files that exposed his role as a UK Trade Envoy and his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Following the continuing scandals in recent months, which saw Andrew’s royal titles stripped and him being booted from Royal Lodge by his brother King Charles, experts have wondered whether he might flee to the United Arab Emirates. Given his tight bond with the emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, it would appear a sensible option.
Reports suggest the Sheikh has offered him access to a luxurious 16,000 sq ft, fully staffed, six-bedroom property within a protected diplomatic compound, where he could expect a level of privacy and dignity that may no longer be available to him in the UK, reports the Mirror.
Nevertheless, the author behind a biography that revealed the secrets of the Yorks, has suggested that the disgraced royal might relocate somewhere completely different. Speaking to us, Andrew Lownie suggested that the UAE option might not be accessible to him, as the Emirati leaders cherish their ties with King Charles and wouldn’t wish to jeopardise that relationship.
“If he were to go to the Middle East, they wouldn’t want to upset the Royal Family,” he said.
“He would have to go with the [British] Royal Family’s approval – which if that were known would be very unpopular – because their links with the King are more important than their links with Andrew.”
Whilst Bahrain lacks an extradition treaty with the UK, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is “very close to Charles”, Lownie says, and so he’s “not going to p*** him off”.
Nevertheless, the disgraced royal might have a more surprising alternative. Stressing that he can only speculate at this point, Lownie told us: “The other option, because he’s not going to go and join Assad in Moscow, is China. Mountbatten-Windsor has “lots of business activities” in China, Lownie highlights.He elaborated: “His former secretary Amanda Thirsk works for a Chinese company.
He’s very close to the Chinese ambassador – when no-one went to his birthday party a couple of years ago, the Chinese ambassador turned up. “Lownie stressed that presently his China theory is pure speculation. “I have no evidence of any of this except my instinct,” he said. “But that would be a place he could go.
“He could disappear there, it would be a massive ‘two fingers’ to Britain from Xi Jinping. Mountbatten-Windsor could also “travel around” China without obstruction, according to Lownie.
He went on: “He could go and see his mates, go all over the place in a private jet, but that would be a base.
Pointing out that Mountbatten-Windsor’s passport hasn’t been confiscated, Lownie added: “I think he could go under the radar there [in China], in a way that he couldn’t elsewhere.”
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