The Prince, the Moat, and the Meat Loaf: Andrew’s Royal Knockout Disaster

0:03 Calorogus Shark Media, Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue Game you host Mark Ransas. Long before he lost his titles and his royal standing, Andrew N. Batten Windsor's reputation for royal mischief was already well under weigh and remarkably, it all began with a moat, a meat loaf, and one of the most disastrous TV specials in royal history. The year was nineteen eighty seven, and the idea scened on paper at least harmless fun. Prince Edward, then trying to forge a career in television, came up with It's a Royal Knockout, a medieval themed charity game show featuring members of the royal family competing in costumed challenges alongside celebrities.

0:49 The show, filmed in front of a plywood castle at Alton Towers, quickly descended into chaos. It was a slapstick spectacle of foam jousting and medieval pageantry that left the right royal family looking more ridiculous than regal. Watching the Queen's children and their spouses wobbling around in silly outfits did little to enhance the dignity of the monarchy. Prince Edward, who masterminded the event, took the brunt of the fallout, earning himself the unfortunate nickname Prince Brat, but his siblings and in laws, Andrew, Princess Anne and Sarah Ferguson, were all part of the ill fated production, and for Andrew, the day reportedly ended with a royal tantrum that has since passed into legend. According to author Andrew Lowney in his book entitled The Rise and Follow of the House of York, tensions flared on the set when Andrew decided that American rock icon Meatloaf was getting a little too friendly with the Duchess of York. Lowney writes that Andrew tried to push meat Loaf into a moat after he felt the singer had taken too great an interest in Ferguson.

1:53 Meat Loaf, dressed in a fake suit of armor for one of the challengers, didn't take kindly to being manhandled by a prince. The author quotes of the singer is recalling that Andrew complained, you can't touch me, I'm royal. Meatloaf's immortal reply, well, you try to push me in the moat. Jack I don't give a shit who you are. You're going in the moat. In a later interview with the Guardian in two thousand and three, the late rock star confirmed the exchange, saying Ferki wasn't exactly flirting with me, but she was paying attention to me. And I think Andrew got a little I could be wrong. I'm just reading into this. I think he got a little jealous. Then he added with typical theatrical flare, Oh, the queen hates me. A leading royal commentator has one that failing to strip Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of their royal titles could lead to scrutiny, tears and abject humiliation for both women and renewed damage to the monarchy. Daily Mail columnist Amanda Platel said photographs of Beatrice hosting a tea party for Saudi investors at the Rich Carlton in Riard, the site of the Saudis regime twenty seventeen purge of royals and businessmen, show why the princesses HRH status may soon become untenable. Platel said Beatrice's Saudi jaunt proves their HRH status will only end in scrutiny, tears, and their most likely abject humiliation. In a modern Britain, it is no longer possible to pursue both royal duty and lucrative business interests, especially where foreign autocracies are involved. The princesses

3:25 have pursued private sector careers, but their proximity too powerful foreign figures has drawn comparisons to their father's controversial tenure as the UK's Special Trade Envoy in the two thousands. When Andrew was accused of blurring the lines between diplomacy and personal gain, Platel added, as Beatrice should know from the fate of her parents, you can't immerse yourself in the world of high finance one day and then represent the royal family the next, especially at a time of existential crisis for the monarchy. She warned that both sisters risk inheriting what she called their parents pig headed obliviousness to public mood, noting that hosting lavish events for wealthy Saudi's at a hotel wants notorious for political crackdowns, created terrible optics In the Royalist Tom Sykes was more emphatic under the headline King Charles just sent Andrews's daughter out on a royal hospital job, as he actually lost his mind.

4:19 Sikes writes, the King, failing to understand the public don't ever want to see any member of the York family ever again, has equally inexplicably made Beatrice a new patron of outward bound Sikesville's Beatrice should have been lit by a flickering gaslight, as she declared, like everything was dandy and normal. I am so grateful for the scientists and clinicians who took the time today to show me the advances they are making to reduce the risks to expectant mums and babies. Sikes tagged that with Charles is trying to do two things, I suspect burnish his own desire to be seen as a merciful monarch and to reinforce the primacy of the blood princesses. Odds makers in the UK are reportedly taking bets on whether Andrew or Sarah Ferguson will appear on the next season of The Traitors.

5:08 Following their removal from the Royal Lodge and the loss of their titles, speculation has grown that the former couple could turn to television for a fresh start or a paycheck. Bookmakers have listed odds on both Andrew and Sarah joining the hit reality competition, which features celebrities deceiving and betraying each other for cash prizes. While Royal insiders have dismissed the ideas highly unlikely, fans of the show seen intrigued by the prospect, with social media joking that Andrew won't need to fake being a traitor one palace just a moment. Author Andrew Lowney says he is now hearing from two or three people a day, eager to share new information.

5:54 Lonelytold reporters, I'm hearing from protection officers, diplomats, people in the Navy. The floodgates of opened. A lot of people who were once off the record now want to be on the record, and they want to be on the right side of history. The response, he says, has been so overwhelming that he is not only preparing an expanded paperback edition, but also a follow up volume titled untitled I've just got so much new material and explain good people are coming forward and adding to the stories. Among those who have contacted him are a former nanny who worked for Andrew in the sixties, and a former ambassador from Kazakhstan. Many of those speaking out, Lowney says, describe a man who believed himself above reproach and entitled to act exactly as he pleased, whether at school, in the navy, or later as a royal adult. Downey added, whether it was avoiding roll call that Gordonston or skipping duties in the Navy, he doesn't feel that the rules have ever applied to him. He lived a charmed life but succumbed to all the forbidden fruits, and now he's paying the price.

6:55 Following his formal loss of royal titles and honors. Last month, Andrew was said to be spending his time Norfolk, but could be preparing to relocate abroad. Lowney predicts that the king's brother may ultimately flee the country if legal proceedings intensify. I personally don't think he's going to end up in Sandringham, the author said. I think charges will be brought against him and he will flee to the Middle East or somewhere, probably like King Juan Carlos. But that's only me speculating, of course. Reports last month suggested that Sheik Muhammad bin Zeid al Nahan, the president of the United Arab Emirates has offered Andrew accommodation in a luxurious Abu Dhabi palace featuring six air condition bedrooms, a private geman, and indoor pool.

7:37 Lowney believes such a move could quietly close the chapter on one of the monarchy's most damaging scandals. It would suit everyone's purposes if Andrew simply disappeared there, he said, out of sight, out of mind. The author added that several senior officials who initially denied involvement in his first book, including figures from the Foreign Office, have since confirmed their accounts publicly. Once people see the weight of evidence from reputable sources, Flinney said, I think it will change the story entirely in the habit. If you'd like to email us or this is the Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com, send us a note, let us know if you're enjoying these second episodes and if you'd like to hear more or less of certain stories The Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com. I Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott, This is Palace Intrigue and good terms