Tumultuous times in House of Windsor raise concerns about monarchy's future
As Queen Elizabeth reaches the historic milestone of 70 years on the throne, her upcoming platinum jubilee was expected to be a highlight of her life. A time when her decades of nearly flawless service to the Crown would be celebrated across Britain and the Commonwealth.
Instead, she’s had to remove HRH and military titles from her son Prince Andrew, she’s living in the wake of Harry and Meghan leaving the family, and she saw the first Caribbean country in her Commonwealth officially split from the Crown.
It’s a tumultuous time in the House of Windsor; one that’s raising concerns about the future of the monarchy.
Throughout Queen Elizabeth’s reign, royal scandals have come and gone. But none have landed in a U.S. courtroom. Prince Andrew, known as the Queen’s favourite son, is facing accusations of sexual abuse by an American woman when she was 17 years old.
The royal, ninth in line to the throne, no longer has “His Royal Highness” before his name, or any military titles after it — a move the Queen ordered after more than 150 veterans wrote a letter calling for it.
Royal biographer Penny Junor calls it a mess.
“Andrew has always been quite an irrelevant figure within the royal family. But when you get veterans calling for his removal from his position as head of various regiments, then that becomes really damaging to the monarchy,” Junor told W5.
Royal biographer Penny Junor speaks with W5Andrew claims to never have met his accuser. But a photo shows him with his arm around her. Andrew also tried to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein, the man who allegedly introduced them. But another photo shows the prince walking and chatting with him. By then, Epstein was a convicted pedophile.
“I think he's actually fundamentally just very stupid,” Junor said of Andrew. “He has no, no awareness.”
Prince Harry was another favourite of the Queen’s. He reportedly often made his grandmother laugh. Now, the youngest son of Prince Charles is on the other side of the ocean, physically and officially separated from the Royal Family.
Junor believes Harry’s marriage to a mixed-race American actress could’ve actually helped the country. “It could have been so healing in terms of racial tensions in Britain,” she said. Instead, Meghan spoke about racism inside what she referred to as “The Firm.”
As all of this dramatic family distancing unfolds inside the House of Windsor, there are signs of fracture in the Queen’s Commonwealth as well. Barbados, tied to the British Crown for nearly 400 years, has now officially become a republic, an independent country without a queen as head of state. Jamaica is looking at that possibility as well. And Canada? Polls here show support for the monarchy is dwindling to the lowest ever seen.
The Queen called 1992 her “annus horribilis” (horrible year), when three of her children started steps towards divorce. But with her House of Windsor publicly shaken to the core, what must she be thinking now?
Correction
A previous version of this story stated that Prince Andrew is the Queen's youngest son. Prince Andrew is the second-youngest son, as he is older than Prince Edward.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Premier Legault reiterates that McGill pro-Palestinian camp must be dismantled
Quebec Premier François Legault reiterated that the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University must be dismantled while police remain 'on the lookout for new developments.'
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
The UN warns Sudan's warring parties that Darfur risks starvation and death if aid isn't allowed in
The United Nations food agency warned Sudan's warring parties Friday that there is a serious risk of widespread starvation and death in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan if they don't allow humanitarian aid into the vast western region.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
Golf season a summer tourism driver in Canada
Golf is a sign of spring and summer and a major driver for seasonal tourism, experts say.
Local Spotlight
Twin Alberta Ballet dancers retire after 15 years with company
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
Here's how one of Sask.'s largest power plants was knocked out for 73 days, and what it took to fix it
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
Quebec police officer anonymously donates kidney, changes schoolteacher's life
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Canada's oldest hat store still going strong after 90 years
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Road closed in Oak Bay, B.C., so elephant seal can cross
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
B.C. breweries take home awards at World Beer Cup
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Kitchener family says their 10-year-old needs life-saving drug that cost $600,000
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.