In a series called Mondo Appropriato, Culled Culture examines how “on the nose” something is in the pop cultural and/or political landscape.
What’s more shocking than anything in this life is that people are still shocked that abuse of power continues to go unchecked. As though that hasn’t always been the name of the game since the dawn of “humanity.” What’s worse, those who abuse their power are so often in a middling non-position such as Prince Andrew’s. In his role as one of the “spares” but not the heir, it unfortunately gave him the kind of time to prove the old adage, “Idle hands are the devil’s playthings.” In turn, underage girls became Prince Andrew’s, among many other gross older men, when Jeffrey Epstein came along to “fill the void.”
Virginia Giuffre was just one such girl for the “job” (that she obviously didn’t ask for). Having already lobbied a lawsuit against Epstein in 2015, Giuffre attested to being trafficked at the age of seventeen by both Epstein and his right-hand woman, Ghislaine Maxwell, and “used” by them. A term so general as to actually add to the bone-chillingness of the entire “enterprise.”
Back in 2019, when Giuffre gave an interview on Panorama (Princess Diana’s old stomping grounds) about the extent of her abuse as it pertained to Prince Andrew, the palace was naturally quick to issue a statement the following day saying, “It is emphatically denied that The Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.” Sounds a lot like Bill Clinton declaring, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky.”
Yes, Bill. A man who, by the way, was also in bed with Epstein (if one will pardon the pun). And, like Paula Jones before her, Giuffre was clear in reminding “no one is above the law.” Or, at least, they shouldn’t be. But, as we know, that simply isn’t the case. All serving to further emphasize what Jenny Holzer said long ago, “Abuse of power comes as no surprise.” And yet, the world continues to be, as though this is the salve they need to tell themselves that they previously had “no idea” how cruel and fucked up human beings are. Because to admit they already knew would be to additionally admit a contented and deliberate blindness toward reality. One that persists when expressing still more “shock” over the revelation that the Met Police will not be further investigating the deadbeat royal after Giuffre filed a lawsuit in August.
With this renewed legal action, Giuffre levied claims that Prince Andrew abused her in the London home of Maxwell, giving the case UK jurisdiction. Andrew, channeling his mother when she said, “Recollections may vary,” hit back at the accusation by saying he had “no recollection” of ever meeting her. Despite the photographic evidence to the contrary. And yet, what else is one to expect when a man so accustomed to being bailed out of everything his entire life is faced with something like potential consequences? Deny, deny, deny. And of course it will just go away. Mommy has always made it go away, after all (which makes one believe Andy is the one ensuring Mum gets plugged in and regenerated every night in order to wake up “alive” the next morning).
During that same Panorama interview from 2019, Giuffre would plea, “I implore the people in the UK to stand up beside me, to help me fight this fight, to not accept this as being okay. This is not some sordid sex story. This is a story of being trafficked. This is a story of abuse and this is a story of your guys’ royalty.” What Giuffre didn’t seem to realize was just how much the Brits seem to relish having that royalty as part of their national identity, therefore being allowed to shrug off the accusations once again thanks to the Met Police’s complicity in protecting a sexually predatory ogre. Their blasé attitude being the very sort of rhetoric that fuels and sustains systemic misogyny in every aspect of our society, no matter the country. Thus, their assurance, “The duke has always vigorously maintained his innocence and continues to do so.” Oh, okay.
In the meantime, fellow “royals” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been ironically commissioned to be part of an “ethical investment” firm (bit of an oxymoron, as no company can ever really be ethical if it exists at all), as though to further outshine their so-called counterparts on the other side of the evermore trash-filled pond.
