Prince William Is "Taking Control" of the Palace Response to Scandal Following Criticisms

You know the saying, "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself"? Prince William certainly seems to—and he's putting the adage's wisdom to work personally amid the growing backlash the royal family has been facing of late.

As anyone who follows any news about the royal family is surely already aware, Prince Andrew's association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein reignited outrage against him and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.

Anger at the former couple reached a fever pitch when emails they allegedly exchanged with Epstein were leaked recently, culminating in both Andrew and Ferguson agreeing to voluntarily relinquish their royal titles, a decision the royal family shared in a statement on Andrew's behalf last Friday.

Although Andrew and Ferguson have stepped back, presumably permanent, from any active work with The Firm, the royal family has still come under fire of its own for its handling of the situation, which many don't seem to think has been as harsh or quick as what the disgraced royal perhaps deserves.

In response to the criticism the royal family has faced over its handling of Andrew's demotion, Prince William has decided personally take control of Buckingham Palace’s response to Andrew's scandal, sources have said, according to The Independent.

“William is on it,” a Whitehall source told BBC Newsnight, as the Prince of Wales focuses on what's best for the future of the monarchy amid what The Independent describes as "cabinet unease over the Palace’s response to the situation."

"The view is William is thinking long term, the long term future of the monarchy and the belief in Whitehall is he really wants to get hold of this," Newsnight added.

Driving the scandal this time around are a few things. First, the latest leaked emails between Andrew and Epstein were sent in February 2011, therefore seeming to serve as proof that the royal lied in his bombshell 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, in which he claimed to have ended his friendship with Epstein after visiting him in December 2010.

And then, playing an even bigger role in fueling outrage against Andrew is his accuser, Virginia Giuffre's, memoir, Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, which was published posthumously this week and details allegations of sexual abuse against Andrew.

While Andrew has continued to strenuously deny the allegations, his denials don't appear to have made much of an impact on public opinion about him, which seems to continue to fall to new lows and members of the public, as well as members of Parliament, have spoken out about their desire for the royal family to take a firmer hand with Andrew.

MPs are reportedly “pushing hard” for a probe into the terms of Andrew’s Royal Lodge residence, according to The Guardian reported, following reporting on his lease for the property that showed he's been paying a “peppercorn rent” for the last two decades while living in the Windsor mansion.

According to The Independent, Sir Keir Starmer has supported calls for Andrew to be hauled in front of MPs and required to give evidence in parliament, which Starmer argues is “important” in applying “proper scrutiny” to all Crown properties.