For years now, the Windsors and their British media handlers have been putting Prince Andrew and Prince Harry together, like they’re equally gross or awful. Again, Harry’s crime was marrying a beautiful Black American woman and prioritizing her over his white privilege. Andrew’s crimes were rape, human trafficking, associating with two known predators/pedophiles, and using a governmental “trade ambassador” position to line his pockets and travel around the world, hobnobbing with shady billionaires. Speaking of, government documents related to Andrew’s “trade ambassadorship” are being sealed for the next 42 years.

Government documents about Prince Andrew will be kept secret until 2065, it is revealed today. The Duke of York’s correspondence with Ministers, including details of dealings as a trade ambassador, will not be released in his lifetime unless he lives to be 105.

The timeframe for Andrew, 63, came to light in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made to the Foreign Office.

Under normal rules, records transferred to The National Archives at Kew from government departments are kept secret for 20 years. But special dispensation is awarded to the Royal Family. Documents relating to Andrew’s brother, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Princess Alexandra also have the same time gap – 105 years from their birth – for release.

But critics argue it is a disservice to the public to keep Andrew’s files buried for so long. Author Andrew Lownie said: ‘Many questions remain about his role as trade envoy, a public appointment paid for by the taxpayer, and his associations with figures such as Jeffrey Epstein. The delays in release create a vacuum for speculation and fantasists. Their release would go some way to restoring trust in institutions, not least the monarchy.’

[From The Daily Mail]

For years, I’ve tried to wrap my head around how British people “place” their royals within their understanding of a functional government/society. One could argue that the Windsors are simply high-level civil servants, there to represent the national interest in an apolitical way. I think that IS the argument, so why is there this collective shrug at this kind of news? Andrew, a high-level civil servant who held a government position as a trade ambassador, manages to hide his ambassadorial records for the rest of his natural life? This isn’t like keeping Prince Philip’s will a secret for a century, although I find that f–king shady too. Anyway, this is the kind of news which makes me believe that King Charles really is trying to be the Unity King (except when it involves the Sussexes). He really is bringing Andrew back.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.