A LEADING clergyman has questioned if the late Queen Elizabeth II was “ignorant” of her son Andrew’s alleged sexual misconduct.
Church of England vicar, Stephen Kuhrt, asked whether the monarch and her staff had a “blind sport” over the former Prince’s behaviour.
The 56-year-old made these comments on an online website for his new book Safeguarding the Institution.
The behaviour he was referring to was Andrew’s friendship with US paedophile Jeffery Epstein.
In her recent autobiography, Virginia Giuffre claimed she was trafficked by the businessman and they she slept with Andrew.
He wrote: “Three years on from the death of Queen Elizabeth II, much of the admiration for her strong sense of duty continues.
“Fairness demands, however, that Elizabeth II receive an equal scrutiny to others in positions of responsibility.
“Is it really credible that she was entirely ignorant of the activities and certainly the associations of the son to whom she was so close?
“If not, was her non-action on behalf of the vulnerable compatible with the role of someone so publicly pledged (‘whether my life be long or short’) to the service of her people?
“Should we accept the excuse that she had a blind-spot towards the ‘weaknesses’ of her supposed favourite child?
“And what was the knowledge of the legions of royal staff and others in positions of responsibility equally committed (in official terms) to public service?
“Rather than demonising those who have facilitated abuse and its cover-up, however, a more constructive approach is to ask why this so often happens.”
He said that there was “a huge value” in the revelations about Andrew.
This extends to the Pakistani rape gangs and abuse within the Church of England which culminated in the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in November 2024.
He said that local councils, police forces, the monarchy and the Church of England appeared to have a similar attitude to safeguarding of the vulnerable.
The vicar for New Malden said: “In the most generous interpretation, they have turned a blind eye to abuse and in the harshest, they have actively colluded with it.
“The late Queen would probably have struggled to see any way in which she could or should have played a role in preventing what has happened to and through Prince Andrew.”
These accusations come after Andrew was forced to give up the Royal Lodge and had the title of Prince removed from him.
In the a statement Buckingham Palace said: “His majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.
“Prince Andrew will now be know as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
“His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence.
“Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.
“These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.”
The brother of the late Virginia Giuffre released a statement following news of Andrew’s eviction.
“Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British Prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.
“Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her.
“Today, she declares victory.”
Andrew continues to deny allegations of sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life in April.
He paid an estimated £12 million in an out of court settlement in February 2022.
