Prince Andrew may be back in court if he doesn't pay says Levin

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Express.co.uk asked its readers: “Should the Royal Family tell the public where Prince Andrew’s payoff money came from?” The poll, which ran from 9am to 3pm on Thursday, February 17, gathered a total of 1,933 votes, along with dozens of comments on the hot topic of royal funding.

In total, 1,238 people — 64 percent — voted “yes”, the source of the money should be made public.

A total of 682 people — 35 percent — voted “no”, and a further 13 people said they didn’t know.

Generally, readers seemed to agree: If the settlement is being paid for with public money, the public should know.

But one reader made a particularly interesting point, which sees the royals in hot water no matter where the money came from.

Username Weelain wrote: “If [Andrew] was bailed by the taxpayer then, of course, this needs to be made public.

“If not then it poses the question: Why are they being funded by the taxpayer if they can afford to come up with allegedly 10 to 12 million at the drop of a hat, for something like this?

He added: “Either way, the old royalist argument that they represent ‘good value for money’ is starting to look less convincing.”

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Generally, everyone agreed that the public had a right to know if taxpayer money was involved.

Username AlanRT wrote: “If taxpayers are funding any amount of this payment then we have a right to know!”

And user AcerView wrote: “Course it’s our business, the royals want the privilege it comes with a price.”

Others said the right to know was solely based on whether or not it’s been publicly funded, saying that if it was private money they were entitled to keep the details private.

Username ValBrooker said: “It’s only our business if the money came from public funding.”

Others, however, said they couldn’t imagine the Queen would have forked out public money for this cause.

Username TheBride wrote: “I seriously doubt that the Queen would authorise that. She paid for it…in more ways than one.”

And username NarFSaid wrote: “To even imagine that our Queen, who never put her foot wrong, would somehow allow something of such sensitive magnitude be ‘sponsored’ by the public purse is utterly diabolical!!”

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However, within the comments, there are signs that public trust in the monarchy is creaking.

Username bettyb said: “This is no surprise if you read our history of Kings and Queens ‒ they all made themselves very wealthy at the expense of the people.”

And user HASTINGSCASTLE said: “Most of their money comes from the Duchy of Lancaster which provided the Queen with a huge income every year…[and Prince] Charles gets his money from the Duchy of Cornwall which provides him with a huge income.

“Both outdated, grossly unfair institutions must be scrapped. The wealth must be returned to the State.”

Others seemed to express bafflement at the silence of Buckingham Palace around the issue, who have declined to comment on the matter despite numerous calls from Express.co.uk and other outlets to do so.

Username Fru-T-Bunn said: “I don’t see why it’s so difficult. Surely Buckingham Palace is capable of issuing a simple statement saying that no public funds have been used to settle this civil suit.

“By remaining silent they are increasing the speculation that taxpayer’s money might have been used.

“Surely this non-stop media speculation cannot be seen as a good thing for the monarchy?”

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