Parliament and the Palace: Has politicians' 'no-comment' approach to the royals had its day?
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"You might think this is about Andrew," a senior Whitehall figure wonders out loud. "But put this in your diary as a pivot point in the relationship between Palace and Parliament." Will this royal mess usher in a new era? And despite their conventional refusal to comment, could politicians become quicker to point out the monarchy's flaws, and more willing to speak out?
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"Nice try!" was the then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson's response when he was asked by reporters about the original, disastrous interview with the man who was until 48 hours ago afforded his title Prince Andrew, back in 2019. That just about sums up the response - for years. Ministers would rather do almost anything than speak out on the saga. "It was more than being allergic - you were going into a no-win scenario," a former No 10 official recalls. "You either incur the wrath of the Palace, or you look like you are defending the indefensible." The avoid-it-if-you-possibl
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