Until the late Queen defenestrated Prince Andrew in 2022, he was regularly attending meetings and receiving written briefings from top brass at the Ministry of Defence because of his Falklands role and interest in naval matters. Officials became concerned and a senior MOD officer raised the matter with Buckingham Palace.
![[Duke of York , speaking for the first time about his links to Jeffrey Epstein in an interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/02/93217191-14199935-Duke_of_York_speaking_for_the_first_time_about_his_links_to_Jeff-a-89_1734401199986.jpg)
He was told that Her Majesty wanted Andrew to continue to be ‘indulged’. Military eyebrows were raised about his links to some ‘suspect’ states as well as ‘unsavoury’ individuals. There was no suggestion that Andrew was up to no good. But MoD staff began to edit the briefings until they ceased after his disastrous encounter with Emily Maitlis.
![[There was no suggestion that Andrew was up to no good. But MoD staff began to edit the briefings until they ceased after his disastrous encounter with Emily Maitlis]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/02/93217195-14199935-There_was_no_suggestion_that_Andrew_was_up_to_no_good_But_MoD_st-a-87_1734401199979.jpg)
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew, Duke of York watch a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, on June 8, 2019 in London. Duke of York , speaking for the first time about his links to Jeffrey Epstein in an interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis.
![[Julia Roberts (pictured) owes her stellar career to Richard Gere. He was asked to spend an hour chatting in a room with the unknown actress to see if she fitted the bill for Pretty Woman]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/02/93217257-14199935-Julia_Roberts_pictured_owes_her_stellar_career_to_Richard_Gere_H-a-90_1734401199990.jpg)
There was no suggestion that Andrew was up to no good. But MoD staff began to edit the briefings until they ceased after his disastrous encounter with Emily Maitlis. The death of BBC Play School presenter Julie Stevens prompts recollection of her meeting with fan Prince Andrew when he was aged six.
'Aren’t you becoming a bit old for Play School?’, she asked. ‘You’ll be watching other programmes soon.’. Andrew demurred: ‘I am going to watch it for ever and ever and ever.’ My abacus suggests Andrew stopped watching when he was 28 and Play School was axed.
