London’s Daily Telegraph led off its daily newsletter this Saturday morning, Nov. 1, with a dire warning that “The Royal family is at a tipping point,” at risk of becoming an endangered species.
The Telegraph explains that “the Firm,” as the Monarchy is dubbed over there, traditionally handles its scandals quietly. Yet, last week, the House of Windsor loudly publicized that Prince Andrew has been stripped of his titles and his free residence in one of the many British taxpayer-supported family castles. After decades, Andrew’s closest-of-close relationship to Jeffrey Epstein (and the young women he trafficked) was suddenly staining the honor of the family.
The decision to do so was “driven by a desperation to survive.… This could be an existential moment for the Royal family,” the Telegraph warns. “In the past few days, there has been open debate about abolishing the monarchy on primetime radio and television, of an intensity not seen since the death of Diana in 1997. On Monday, the King was heckled over the scandal during a visit to Lichfield Cathedral. On Thursday night, when the news that Andrew was to no longer be `Prince’ broke on Question Time, the audience burst into spontaneous applause,” it reported.
The British Social Attitudes Survey has asked “Is the monarchy important to the U.K.?” in every poll since 1983; in September’s poll, only 51% answered yes. “Support for the monarchy is now at its lowest level since our records began, with more people than ever questioning its future,” according to the National Centre for Social Research. The British Social Attitudes Survey in September found that 6 in 10 (59%) of British youth aged 16 to 34 favor an elected head of state over continuing the monarchy.
