Exposing the Shield Around Prince Andrew: Who Protects Whom?

For decades, the British public has been told that institutions like the Police and Security Services exist to uphold the law and keep citizens safe. But the headlines: “Prince Andrew Accused of ‘Bully Tactics’ Against Epstein Victims'” (The Mirror), “Prince Andrew’s Police Protectors Warned Off Reporters” (The Guardian), "Prince Andrew asked police to help smear sexual abuse accusers..." (Reuters), and the revelations of BBC Newsnight, reveal a different reality: these powerful agencies’ true allegiance is to those who sit atop society.

A Pattern of Protection, Not Justice

From the moment Prince Andrew’s ties with Jeffrey Epstein became public, allegations have mounted that police officers tasked with royal protection acted not as impartial guardians of truth, but as shields for the Prince and his reputation. Journalists were physically warned off reporting at royal estates, and victims’ legal teams report intimidation and silencing tactics, all in the name of upholding royal dignity rather than seeking justice for survivors.

Virginia Giuffre’s new memoir makes clear, through both her words and corroborating legal filings, that the “power of the Crown”, including its police apparatus, was wielded to discredit, pressure, and silence those seeking accountability. Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace responded with calls for a thorough investigation, but only after the issue boiled over in the court of public opinion.

A Deeply Rooted Tradition of Servicing Power

This is not a story unique to Prince Andrew. According to books like The Secret State by Peter Hennessy and Defend the Realm by Christopher Andrew, Britain’s security agencies were never designed to put the public first. MI5 and the Met, like the RCMP in Canada’s colonial project, originated as defenses for the state, focused on threats to the powerful, not protection for those with the least influence. Historical records repeatedly show these agencies surveilling activists, trade unionists, and whistleblowers far more aggressively than they ever chased justice for victims of elite crime.

Even high-profile disasters, from the Hillsborough cover-up to the phone-hacking scandal, reflect a pattern: when public scrutiny threatens people at the top, the police and intelligence agencies close ranks, conceal evidence, and protect their own. Sexual crimes against minors and human trafficking are problems that could easily be solved with the high technology available to these institutions. Still, they let these crimes fester because the rich and powerful are the direct beneficiaries of these serious crimes.

Why Now? The Real Question

A crucial question remains: why are damaging details about Prince Andrew and Epstein’s connections, including confidential emails and victim statements, making headlines now?

It isn’t as if the institutions involved have grown a conscience. If anything, decades of cover-ups show their willingness to sacrifice public trust to minimize embarrassment for the Crown. The timing can be explained by increasing public and political scrutiny, demands from MPs, growing anger in places like York, new allegations in Giuffre’s memoir, and the explosion of online activism that can’t be quietly managed behind palace walls. Or is there something more sinister happening in the background? Are there other members of the royal family benefiting from exposing Prince Andrew, and that is why the security services are not going about their usual disinformation and intimidation of the press to suppress these stories? Abhorrent stories, but it’s nothing new for the average citizens who know what it’s like to live with this violence and get no justice.

The sudden transparency isn’t a triumph of accountability from within the system; it’s evidence that the system was cornered and forced into the light. The emails and files are public because the authorities could no longer conceal them under mounting public outrage. Or they see a greater good in their eyes that will come from this. Let’s be clear, it’s not for the victims, because justice for the victims would mean seeing those who took part in Epstein's abuse face prison time.

What Is the Bigger Picture?

We are witnessing a critical moment: years of patient investigative journalism, survivor testimony, and public demands have pushed issues once buried by the establishment into daylight. But the lesson is uncomfortable; the same systems that still protect the palace and the powerful cannot be trusted to provide justice for survivors or to treat all citizens equally.

The release of information about Prince Andrew shouldn’t be seen as proof of increasing transparency, but as a warning sign of just how much remains hidden until exposure is unavoidable. The British public must ask: when justice for the powerful is this inconsistent, whose interests do our security agencies really serve?

If we want lasting change, the pressure must not let up, because history shows these institutions will always put the interests of the few ahead of justice for the many, unless they have no other choice.

Exposing the Shield Around Prince Andrew: Who Protects Whom?

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References:

• The Mirror, December 2021 | The Guardian, January 2022 | BBC Newsnight 2019-2023

• “The Secret State” by Peter Hennessy | “Defend the Realm” by Christopher Andrew

• Macpherson Report, 1999 | “Policing the Crisis” by Stuart Hall et al.

• News coverage, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and more, cited above.

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LJ Louis is an enthusiastic traveler, aspiring artist, and passionate writer of both fiction and non-fiction who loves exploring new cuisines. She is also a dedicated advocate for women's rights. With an impressive educational background, she holds a double major in psychology and criminology (BA), a Bachelor of Laws (Hons LLB), and an advanced diploma in fitness and health promotion. LJ shares her insights through engaging content on topics such as human sexuality, sex positivity, health, psychology, and even Meghan Markle.