Queen Elizabeth ‘insisted’ that Prince Andrew be the one to help her at the Abbey

As we discussed, Prince Andrew escorted Queen Elizabeth II to Prince Philip’s thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey yesterday. Andrew traveled with his mother too – they traveled by car from Windsor to the Abbey, where they both used the back entrance with no photographers set up. There are no photos of the Queen exiting the car, but plenty of photos of the Queen walking to her seat inside the Abbey, with her hand on Andrew’s arm for support. He delivered her to the front row where she dropped his arm and walked on her own (with a cane) to her seat.

The optics are still terrible. This was Andrew’s first public appearance since settling out-of-court with Virginia Giuffre for what was reportedly around $12 million. Again, if Andrew wanted to attend his late father’s memorial service, so be it. Place him in the back and don’t give him any kind of position of honor. Instead, he led his mother in and was seated front row, alongside Prince Edward. As it turns out, the Queen “insisted” that it happen this way:

After much speculation, Queen Elizabeth was in attendance for her beloved late husband Prince Philip’s memorial service at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday morning. In an unexpected move, she arrived on the arm of her son Prince Andrew. The Queen traveled by car from Windsor accompanied by her disgraced second son — six weeks after he settled a sexual assault lawsuit with his accuser Virginia Giuffre.

“It shows she wholeheartedly loves and believes her son,” says royal commentator Robert Jobson. “As she did when she made a statement about Camilla being Queen’s Consort, many people will now accept the Queen’s word and judgment.”

Jobson, the author of Prince Philip’s Century, says there was disquiet among senior members of the family, “but she insisted.”

“It does make some sense that he accompany her because he doesn’t have a partner. A settlement has been paid but he’s guilty of nothing in the eyes of the law,” he adds. “She has faith in Andrew. Even if he disappears from public life, he’s been able to pay tribute to his father, who after all, was very proud of his service in the Royal Navy, where he fought in the Falkland Islands conflict.”

Her appearance on Tuesday marks the first time the monarch has been at a public event outside of a royal residence since mid-October, when she visited Cardiff, Wales.

Special arrangements were made for the Queen’s arrival on Tuesday. Instead of entering through the main door of Westminster Abbey — which would have meant walking the length of the aisle — she came through a side door with one arm on Andrew and the other on a walking cane.

[From People]

“There was disquiet among senior members of the family, ‘but she insisted.’” Y’all know the disquiet was Prince Charles most of all. I doubt Prince Edward said much of anything. Maybe Anne said something. William can’t say sh-t because he’s still in trouble over his messy Flop Tour. So, Charles tried to tell his mother that this looks horrible and she was like “I do what I want” and here we are. She’s always been like this.

The Daily Express also had a story where “sources” claim that “Prince Charles and the Duke of Cambridge are among those who are understood to have voiced concerns when the idea was first raised by Andrew.” The plan shifted weeks ago to have Andrew walk into the Abbey with his daughters and their husbands, but then it shifted back to “Andrew walking the Queen into the Abbey.” So… Andrew was the one who first suggested it and then the Queen thought it was a great idea and she insisted on it. And Baldemort and Charles were spitting mad.

The Guardian compiled some reactions from Lisa Bloom (lawyer to several Epstein victims), sexual abuse activists and royal commentators, all of whom were appalled. All of whom believe that Andrew is breaking his promise to leave public life. All of whom believe that the Queen is trying to help Andrew rehabilitate his image, and that Andrew believes he can come back.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.