COMMENT:
Prince Andrew's BBC interview about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein was excruciating to watch - especially, no doubt, for the victims of the deceased financier. So bad was it that he may unwittingly have provided the next generation of Britain's monarchy the justification it needs to streamline.
The Duke of York's effort to explain his friendship with the convicted paedophile came across as insensitive, ignorant, pig-headed and out of touch. He revealed a litany of shortcomings longer than his official title, neglecting to express a shred of sympathy for Epstein's targets. The prince's strong denial of claims that he'd had sex with one of the hedge fund manager's alleged teenage trafficking victims was accompanied by strange details about his inability to sweat and his visit to a Pizza Express restaurant.
His troubles will probably accelerate a process that his elder brother Charles has been pushing for years: the drive for a leaner Royal Family. By focusing on a core group of royals in the direct line of succession, this thinking goes, the monarchy would be better able to sidestep concerns about lavish use of public funds at a time when so many ordinary British families are being squeezed beyond endurance. It might also prevent errant royals from publicly pursuing their own course at a time when an aging Queen Elizabeth II may be less able to keep her clan in check.