Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – “Despite the High Court declaring the search warrants that led to Prince Andrew's pre-trial detention unlawful, Scotland Yard's investigation must continue unabated. It is also time for Prince William, King Charles, and other members of the royal family to be called as witnesses, and for journalists to continue asking the question the public demands an answer to: what did you know?”
Graham Smith, founder and director of the anti-monarchist organization Republic UK, made this statement to Adnkronos, bursting into British public debate with the force of a veritable indictment of the leadership of Buckingham Palace. The Duke of York's legal case continues to rock the United Kingdom, and the judges' recent decision to invalidate the search procedures has sparked a harsh reaction from the republican camp, which fears a dangerous cover-up.
Smith claimed his group's active role in shedding light on the prince's associations: "Last February, I reported Andrea to the police based on information contained in the Epstein case documents, which then triggered the initial investigation. Whether Andrea is guilty or not of this or any other crime does not, and cannot, depend on a question of legal technicalities."
The great fear expressed by the association is that the formal defect in the search warrants confirms the prejudice according to which "members of the royal family do not receive the same treatment as other citizens before the law and that the rich and powerful can evade investigations".
This stance has further boosted the popularity of the anti-monarchical movement Republic UK, but the country still seems far from demanding its abolition. The latest polls conducted in July by YouGov, a market research and opinion polling firm, confirm a nation still firmly loyal to the Crown. 64% of British citizens reiterate their desire to maintain the monarchy, while 40% even believe that abolishing it would represent a loss and worsen the country's future prospects. Turning to sentiment toward individual members of the Windsor family, while Prince Andrew has reached a historic and definitive low with 2% approval, heir to the throne William and his wife Kate are nearing 76% approval, serving as a veritable shield for the Royals. King Charles's actions also received approval from approximately seven out of ten respondents. His subjects thus demonstrated their willingness to isolate and condemn a single problematic individual without appeal, in order to safeguard a symbol with which the vast majority of the country continues to identify. (by Alessandro Allocca)
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