Last week, I asked whether people should moralise about the personal conduct of those in high places. The Christian view warns against being judgemental, lest we ourselves be judged.
On such grounds, I have previously been somewhat sorry for Prince Andrew, once second-in-line to the British throne. Andrew was disgraced for bad behaviour, poor judgement and being an associate of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein. But, as the great Lord Longford always said, forgiveness is also a Christian duty, and we’re all sinners.
However, a new biography of the Duke of York (as Prince Andrew is also known), not only unveils the sins, and serious character flaws, of his Royal Highness: but, I suspect, has the capacity to damage the British monarchy.
Abolish
An increasing number of young people in Britain say they want to abolish the monarchy – only 30% of 18-24 year-olds support it – and Andrew Lownie’s striking publication will surely prompt more British republicanism.
The biography is appropriately called Entitled and it’s a forensically researched study of the Duke of York, whose ‘entitled’ conduct has caused so many complaints and much distress. He is described as bawling out servants and staff with rude arrogance, manipulating his contacts – sometimes with dodgy, authoritarian regimes – to enrich himself, consorting with Chinese spies for monetary gain and using women selfishly for sexual gratification, constantly expecting young women to be served up to him without demur.
Tittle-tattle
Andrew Lownie – who I know slightly – is an experienced historian and biographer: this is not just royal tittle-tattle. Thousands of interviews were conducted in building this profile.
I retain the view that it’s not my place to stand in moral judgement of any fellow-sinner: yet Andrew Lownie’s text has caused me to reflect on matters of character and formation, just the same.
Monarchy can be a worthy constitutional arrangement if the emphasis is on duty, service and ‘noblesse oblige’”
Sometimes people can’t help being born the way they are, and if Prince Andrew doesn’t have good judgement, intelligent self-awareness or insight – as the biography claims – maybe these are inborn character flaws. That is, he can’t help being dull-witted.
But his mother, Queen Elizabeth, was the Governor of the Church of England, and herself a genuine Christian: did she not teach him to be respectful to staff, and others he worked with – and not to use people, either sexually or manipulatively, for selfish ends? Did she never refer to St Paul’s injunction against the love of money?
Secondly, monarchists must be ever-aware of the lessons of history: the French monarchy fell, not just because of rising bread prices, but also because the reputation of the Bourbons for decadence, extravagance and insensitivity reached enraged levels. Crowned heads across Europe subsequently rolled because they were regarded as acting selfishly, in their own interests, and not serving the people.
Monarchy can be a worthy constitutional arrangement if the emphasis is on duty, service and “noblesse oblige” – privilege means responsibility. The ideal Christian may not judge Andrew of York, but the public will – and link his failings to the very institution which brought him his “entitlement”.
===
The Everest of literature
The writer Joseph O’Connor has resolved to spend the summer reading that ‘Everest of literature’, the King James Bible. This is the English translation of the Old and New Testament which appeared in 1611, under the patronage of King James I, the Protestant son of a Catholic mother, Mary Queen of Scots.
Writers have always liked this Bible for its poetic cadences and vivid imagery. The opening passage of St John’s Gospel in the King James version is regarded as one of the most compelling literary compositions of all time. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” It may owe something to Luther’s version, which is also considered very beautiful in German (“Im Anfang war das Wort, und das Wort war bei Gott, und das Wort war Gott.”)
Mr O’Connor seems to be undertaking this mighty reading exercise for literary reasons, but he’ll surely also get the spiritual message!
His most recent book The Ghosts of Rome is a superbly exciting novel centering on Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty’s role as
===
European governments from Greece to Germany and Belgium to Britain are vowing to control immigration, and “stop the boats” containing illegal migrants. But economist Sam Freedman says such efforts are pointless: Europe’s falling birth rate means that European countries will go on needing immigrants for the foreseeable future. Germany, for example, needs to import 300,000 migrants every year just to keep the wheels of commerce and the service industries turning.
One demographic statistic explains all: in Europe, the average age is 52. In Africa, the average age is 19. Ageing Europe will increasingly need to lean on the shoulders young Africa to provide human energy.
When bad behaviour damages a monarchy
Last week, I asked whether people should moralise about the personal conduct of those in high places. The Christian view warns against being judgemental, lest we ourselves be judged.
On such grounds, I have previously been somewhat sorry for Prince Andrew, once second-in-line to the British throne. Andrew was disgraced for bad behaviour, poor judgement and being an associate of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein. But, as the great Lord Longford always said, forgiveness is also a Christian duty, and we’re all sinners.
However, a new biography of the Duke of York (as Prince Andrew is also known), not only unveils the sins, and serious character flaws, of his Royal Highness: but, I suspect, has the capacity to damage the British monarchy.
Abolish
An increasing number of young people in Britain say they want to abolish the monarchy – only 30% of 18-24 year-olds support it – and Andrew Lownie’s striking publication will surely prompt more British republicanism.
The biography is appropriately called Entitled and it’s a forensically researched study of the Duke of York, whose ‘entitled’ conduct has caused so many complaints and much distress. He is described as bawling out servants and staff with rude arrogance, manipulating his contacts – sometimes with dodgy, authoritarian regimes – to enrich himself, consorting with Chinese spies for monetary gain and using women selfishly for sexual gratification, constantly expecting young women to be served up to him without demur.
Tittle-tattle
Andrew Lownie – who I know slightly – is an experienced historian and biographer: this is not just royal tittle-tattle. Thousands of interviews were conducted in building this profile.
I retain the view that it’s not my place to stand in moral judgement of any fellow-sinner: yet Andrew Lownie’s text has caused me to reflect on matters of character and formation, just the same.
Sometimes people can’t help being born the way they are, and if Prince Andrew doesn’t have good judgement, intelligent self-awareness or insight – as the biography claims – maybe these are inborn character flaws. That is, he can’t help being dull-witted.
But his mother, Queen Elizabeth, was the Governor of the Church of England, and herself a genuine Christian: did she not teach him to be respectful to staff, and others he worked with – and not to use people, either sexually or manipulatively, for selfish ends? Did she never refer to St Paul’s injunction against the love of money?
Secondly, monarchists must be ever-aware of the lessons of history: the French monarchy fell, not just because of rising bread prices, but also because the reputation of the Bourbons for decadence, extravagance and insensitivity reached enraged levels. Crowned heads across Europe subsequently rolled because they were regarded as acting selfishly, in their own interests, and not serving the people.
Monarchy can be a worthy constitutional arrangement if the emphasis is on duty, service and “noblesse oblige” – privilege means responsibility. The ideal Christian may not judge Andrew of York, but the public will – and link his failings to the very institution which brought him his “entitlement”.
===
The Everest of literature
The writer Joseph O’Connor has resolved to spend the summer reading that ‘Everest of literature’, the King James Bible. This is the English translation of the Old and New Testament which appeared in 1611, under the patronage of King James I, the Protestant son of a Catholic mother, Mary Queen of Scots.
Writers have always liked this Bible for its poetic cadences and vivid imagery. The opening passage of St John’s Gospel in the King James version is regarded as one of the most compelling literary compositions of all time. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God…In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” It may owe something to Luther’s version, which is also considered very beautiful in German (“Im Anfang war das Wort, und das Wort war bei Gott, und das Wort war Gott.”)
Mr O’Connor seems to be undertaking this mighty reading exercise for literary reasons, but he’ll surely also get the spiritual message!
His most recent book The Ghosts of Rome is a superbly exciting novel centering on Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty’s role as
===
European governments from Greece to Germany and Belgium to Britain are vowing to control immigration, and “stop the boats” containing illegal migrants. But economist Sam Freedman says such efforts are pointless: Europe’s falling birth rate means that European countries will go on needing immigrants for the foreseeable future. Germany, for example, needs to import 300,000 migrants every year just to keep the wheels of commerce and the service industries turning.
One demographic statistic explains all: in Europe, the average age is 52. In Africa, the average age is 19. Ageing Europe will increasingly need to lean on the shoulders young Africa to provide human energy.
New Bishop Chairman: No special path for Germany in reforms
Bishop Coll: young Catholics seek ‘doctrinal solidity, not adaptability’
Late Bishop Willie Walsh honoured with plaza on first anniversary
Dr Slim urges humanitarian shift as Trócaire warns of climate impact
Top TOPICS
Unsurprisingly, quite a few Lent related items featured in the media last week. The News
When I was in college, back in the days when the earth’s crust was still
Dear Editor, Garry O’Sullivan makes valuable points concerning the accountability of deceased clerical sexual abusers
Bishop Niall Coll’s recent remarks mark a significant moment in the lead-up to the upcoming