Andrew

Most of the sins attributed to Prince Andrew seem to involve him getting rich people to pay off his ex-wife’s debts. For myself I don’t know if I find it very quaint or very curious.

But the press seem to be calling for him to be sacked, forgetting that his role is not a formal one.

The bottom line is this: businessmen can go on their export trips without Prince Andrew if they like. I myself have been on hundreds of business trips without even seeing him: it is quite possible and he is not forced on you by the government or the Royal Family.

The reason he does what he does is that some of our exports have to go to places where they hold royalty in high esteem (and incidentally where they put up with vastly more serious royal peccadilloes than Andrew could even dream of). If Andrew’s presence helps to secure the contract (and with it British jobs and earnings) the exporters will take him.

If he is working for business, then business should decide if he stays or goes.

His other job, that of being a Prince, is one he can’t be sacked from.