Mountbatten Windsor, the most visible of the British royal family — Mountbatten Windsor is Prince Harry’s real last name — is under fire. This comes on the heels of serious sexual misconduct allegations leveled against him. He vehemently denies these claims. In order to contain the damage of his many scandals, Buckingham Palace has removed him of his titles and from the official roll of the peerage.
In December, Mountbatten Windsor was spotted in Central Park, New York, with an unknown companion. After this meeting, he referred to the meeting as a “mistake,” making his public relations nightmare even worse. Buckingham Palace is trying to distance itself from the brewing controversy. They commissioned a one-time payment and are underwriting a new annual stipend in perpetuity for Mountbatten Windsor. These shorts are designed to keep him from going overboard while he adjusts to his new life as a regular dude.
Virginia Giuffre has alleged that Mountbatten Windsor forced her to commit sexual acts on three different occasions. She alleges that one of these attacks occurred when she was just 17 years old. This second incident of sexual harassment/assault allegedly took place at an orgy set up by Jeffrey Epstein. He was convicted in July 2009 and served jail time for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Court documents have revealed that Mountbatten Windsor had previously communicated with Epstein via email, stating, “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”
In a 2019 interview with BBC’s Newsnight, Mountbatten Windsor tried to distance himself from the allegations. He told the story about how the discussion all centered around a chicken. To many, this sounded like an effort to minimize the gravity of the allegations made against him. No matter how many times he has tried to explain himself, the damage has been done.
Mountbatten Windsor had previously asserted that he had a mutual understanding to reduce contact with Epstein. He too then announced he wouldn’t be coming to the UK, although he said he would be meeting the chief executive of Barclays Jes Staley on a future visit. This claim leads to even more questions about his relationships with the powerful individuals ensnared in Epstein’s network of terrible crimes.
The generous financial assistance granted to Mountbatten Windsor arrives at a moment when much of his reputation is under extreme pressure. Buckingham Palace provides these discretionary funds to allow him to go about his business. Above all, they hope to avoid any deterioration of his precarious current state. The palace’s actions reflect an effort to restore order and protect the royal family’s image amidst ongoing turmoil.