For some reason, Americans find England’s royals intriguing. Whether it’s Harry and Meghan, Prince Andrew, or Queen Elizabeth, the colonists on the other side of the pond tune in to gobble up any gossip or news from the royal family, and there was plenty of fodder to feed our fancy in 2022. Here is a roundup of some of the tastier tidbits of the year.
Prince Andrew’s Sex Scandal and Loss of Military Titles
It has been a rough year for the Duke of York. First, the royals were stunned to find themselves making headlines in what some would call the sex scandal of the century. After Jeffrey Epstein was arrested, one of his accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, claimed Ghislaine Maxwell set up her and Prince Andrew to have intimate relations and that Epstein paid $15,000 for her services. Giuffre filed a lawsuit in August of 2021, and then on January 13, 2022, the prince’s “military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to the Queen,” announced Buckingham Palace.
Next, a juicy book, The Palace Papers, was released in April describing some more details about the relationship between Epstein and the prince. Vanity Fair editor and author of the book Tina Brown wrote that “Privately, Epstein told people that Andrew was an idiot, but – to him – a useful one.”
Meghan Markle’s Laughable Privacy Ruling
Ever one to cry unfair treatment by the royals and the press, Meghan sued Britain’s Mail on Sunday, claiming they had invaded her privacy. She won the case in January, but the duchess only received a paltry pound ($1.21) for all her troubles. The outlet, however, did publish a statement that acknowledged she had won the suit.
Then-Prince Charles’ Charity Investigated in Scandal
King Charles (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
In February, The Prince’s Foundation was targeted for an investigation by the Metropolitan Police. A former palace aide alleged some shady business going on, and, as a result, Michael Fawcett, a top aide to Charles, stepped down. The foundation was accused of accepting a donation from a Saudi businessman in exchange for a knighthood and citizenship. Then, in July, it was discovered that the charity had also accepted one million pounds from Osama bin Laden’s family back in 2013, further damaging the foundation’s reputation.
Royals Banned From the Platinum Jubilee
The Platinum Jubilee was held in May to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne. Notably absent on the balcony were Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, and Meghan. The queen decided that only working members of the family would be able to join her as they watched the Royal Air force fly past. After leaving the Service of Thanksgiving, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were even booed by some of the crowd attendees.
Harry’s New Book Release Announced
Harry’s memoir Spare was officially announced last year by Penguin Random House, but in October, the publishing company let everyone know that it will be available on January 10, 2023. Penguin said it is “an intimate and heartfelt” piece, and Harry commented at the time: “I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but the man I have become,” adding that it gives a “firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”
Harry and Meghan (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Resignation and Racist Allegations
Harry and Meghan made quite a mess when they were interviewed by Oprah Winfrey and claimed the royals were racist. This year, Prince William’s godmother, Lady Susan Hussey, who was also Queen Elizabeth’s Lady-in-Waiting, resigned after facing allegations of racism. Ngozi Fulani, a domestic abuse activist, claimed the 83-year-old woman repeatedly asked questions about her background and heritage, which she deemed racist-based.
Harry & Meghan
And finally, we come to the 2022 royal family finale with the Netflix release of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex docuseries. What was supposed to be an explosive tell-all about all the troubles the couple had to endure turned out to be nothing more than a love story with some drama thrown in for good measure. Was there really anything new revealed? No. It was a recap of racist accusations against the royals and the pressure from the press. Perhaps their aversion to being in the public eye would be more believable if they were not seeking out every opportunity to be in front of the camera.
Now, as King Charles gets ready to be crowned in January, people across the globe sit back waiting to see what next juicy royal scandal might unfold in 2023.
