It’s hard to believe it was only a few months ago that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested in connection with ongoing revelations on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. For many weeks, it seemed that no other royal news could eclipse the unending wrongdoings. Luckily, the 24-hour news cycle has created short memories for us all, and what was once a disaster for the monarchy is now a distant memory. “It’s easy to forget but the start of the year was torrid,” royal editor Emily Andrews wrote for Woman and Home.
“Headlines were dominated by the man formerly known as Prince Andrew,” Andrews wrote. “The fallout from the Epstein revelations felt never ending.” Every few days, a new disparaging story would appear. “The mood at Buckingham Palace was pretty bleak,” Andrews revealed, but luckily the monarchy knows how to handle a crisis. “The senior members of the Firm know to always keep their eyes on the long game.”
Keeping their eyes on the long game, combined with that Keep Calm and Carry On attitude, has gotten the British Royal Family through their fair share of controversies. The secret is to keep going, and do the job the very best they can. “The King and Queen showed what deft diplomats they are on their hugely successful tour to the USA,” Andrews explained. “The King—whose work has so often gone unrecognised—managed to utterly charm the President and First Lady” while “Queen Camilla too was widely praised—from beekeeping tips with Melania to promoting reading in New York with Sarah Jessica Parker.”
Instead of crumbling under the negativity and pressure, or answering endless questions from the press, the Royal Family quietly carried on, supporting grassroots charities and flying the flag for British diplomacy. “The Edinburghs and Gloucesters are plugging away on the road in the UK,” Andrews wrote, explaining that every working royal showed their strengths. “The Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence have just returned from Greece,” Andrews said, while the Prince and Princess of Wales have carried out their official duties more than ever.
“There is a sense that everyone is working together,” Andrews explained. The cohesive action of Keeping Calm and Carrying On “in a content and confident manner” has turned the tide on royal news for the year. According to Emily Andrews, this devotion to duty in the midst of crisis is “everything the Royal Family should be: shining the spotlight on others. Long may it continue.”
