Annus horribilis: Why 2027 is set to be a dreadful year for the Royals
The Royal Family is battling new allegations about its dealing with the death of Princess Diana, but have its troubles only just begun?
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What’s the story?
The Royal Family is set for a rough ride over the next year.
2027 marks the 30th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana, which will bring an onslaught of new accounts, fresh testimonies and modern analysis of her life, and how the Royals reacted when she was gone.
Already, her brother Earl Charles Spencer has released a controversial book, which made claims that King Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” in the days after her death.
Andrew Lownie, historian and author tells The News Agents the palace appears to have been blindsided by the new revelations, and may be unprepared for what else emerges surrounding the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death.
"They thought this was done and dusted," he tells Lewis Goodall.
"They thought Camilla was now queen, and everyone had forgotten about Diana.
"This brings back that moment, and people still feel very strongly about how Diana was treated."
Spencer's book, he adds, is marred by "sloppy editing and poor legal work", such as inaccuracies about Piers Morgan, who has begun legal proceedings against Spencer.
The message of the book has been "destroyed" by "very silly mistakes", Lownie says.
Despite this, he is convinced Spencer is telling the truth.
"This was a good opportunity to challenge the narrative that we've been fed for the last 30 years, and I think that's what he wanted to do," Lownie says.
"I don't believe that the King was quite as callous as he says. But again, these things can be in the heat of rather angry exchanges.
"Things can be misinterpreted, can be misheard. There could be some truth on both sides."
The power of Princess Diana
In the years since Diana's death, no other Royal has attained the public adoration the Princess of Wales received.
But her refusal to play by the Royal rules meant that love was often lacking inside the palace.
"She's immortalised by her early death, and people project onto her what they want," Lownie says.
"Yes, she was a sort of star, and that was the problem, she eclipsed the other members of the Royal family.
"They didn't like that."
Emotions surrounding Diana, and the Royals, will be revived in 2027 when her death is remembered once again.
"I think she still has this power," Lownie says.
"Almost 30 years after her death, there are going to be so many programs, new people are still coming forward and we're getting new information."
Will the Royals ever deal with Andrew?
There are bigger problems for the Royal family than Diana, however, with allegations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor still unaddressed.
He is accused of sexual assault by several women, while in the company of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and has never faced justice, or given public evidence against the claims. He is also accused of sharing top secret information with Epstein, while working as a trade envoy for the UK.
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his Royal titles, but remains living at the five-bedroom Marsh Farm on the Royal Sandringham Estate.
Lownie believes the former Prince will never be brought to justice for his alleged crimes.
"Even if the police do their job, the Crown Prosecution Service will probably say it can't make the charges stick," he says.
"It's pretty evident to me that he shared information with unauthorised people in return for paying off his wife's debts.
"It's a pretty clear case of breach of the Official Secrets Act."
He adds it is "encouraging" to see more women come forward who are now willing to speak to police about their experiences with Mountbatten-Windsor.
The Andrew scandal, Lownie says, highlighted "endemic corruption within the institution itself, not just rogue apples."
"The problem is that the monarchy always reacts too little, too late, and misjudges the mood," Lownie says.
"Instead of addressing all these issues, they try to cover them up.
"Once people realise the cover up that's gone on over Andrew over the last 40 years, I think they really will be in trouble."