Prince Charles’ ‘Get-Out-of-Jail’ Card Could Save Prince Andrew From Extradition
Prince Andrew‘s name has been in the headlines for quite some time over questions about his friendship with late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and the accusations that he has sex with one of Epstein’s alleged victims when she was a minor.
In November 2019, the Duke of York gave a televised interview in which he attempted to explain his association with the disgraced financier and denied the accusations against him. That interview, however, was seen as a complete disaster as he did not come off as believable or show any empathy for the women allegedly trafficked by Epstein.
Following the prince’s “car crash” interview, he was forced to step down from his royal duties and reports surfaced that U.S. authorities wanted to speak to him. Prosecutors have stated that Andrew has avoided talking to them and now calls for him to be extradited to the U.S. and questioned are growing. But that may not be possible after what happened with his brother, Prince Charles.
What a precedent set by Prince Charles could mean for Andrew
On July 2, authorities arrested Epstein’s former companion and accused madame, Ghislaine Maxwell. Since then, questions have been raised about if Prince Andrew will be extradited to the U.S. to speak to investigators in the Epstein case.
The Express noted that biographer Nigel Cawthorne explained in his book, Prince Andrew: Epstein and the Palace, that the duke “could only try to plead against potential extradition if he had immunity from prosecution as a government official or as a member of the queen’s household.”
Cawthorne wrote, “It is accepted that it is the one get-me-out-of-a-US-jail card before one gets shunted into the American legal system,” and the “get-out-of-jail card precedent was set by Charles.”
The author elaborated adding, “The Prince of Wales was sued in 1977 after a 10-minute address he gave at the opening of the University of Cleveland’s law faculty building. Before it could go any further, however, the U.S. State Department intervened and extended legal immunity to Charles. The prince had set a frequently cited precedent that would now be the best chance of avoiding extradition [should it be requested] for his younger brother.”
Duke of York seen laughing, joking in public
Although it’s not clear if the duke will be extradited at some point most people in his position wouldn’t want to be seen laughing and joking in public at the moment, but Prince Andrew isn’t most people.
Queen Elizabeth’s second-oldest son didn’t seem to have any concerns when he was spotted out on July 15 despite Maxwell’s incarceration and law enforcement insisting they want to talk to him.
Us Weekly previously reported that the Duke of York was “incredibly nervous” following Maxwell’s arrest, however, as the Daily Mail noted, Andrew was all smiles when he was photographed leaving Windsor Castle.
Maxwell pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges. A federal judge denied bail calling her “an extreme flight risk.”
