- Prince Andrew is in the midst of a sexual-assault lawsuit.
- The royal family appears to be trying to distract from the Duke of York's trial with positive press.
- But turning on the charm won't be enough if the prince is convicted.
To the untrained eye, it would seem like the royal family had a wholesome holiday season.
Prince William and Kate Middleton rang in the new year by sharing a glamorous photo from a movie premiere. Princess Eugenie released a never-before-seen photo of her son's Christening. The Duchess of Cambridge even charmed a crowd with a piano performance.
But amid the holiday cheer, Virginia Giuffre's sexual-assault lawsuit against Prince Andrew has continued to haunt the monarchy, with 2022 bringing renewed attention to the accusations.
As the Duke of York's sexual-assault trial looms, the royal family seems to be trying harder than ever to project a squeaky clean image.
The royal family is putting on a parade of positive press moments amid Prince Andrew's sexual-assault lawsuit
Virginia Giuffre sued Prince Andrew in August 2021, accusing the royal of sexually assaulting her at Jeffrey Epstein's mansion in 2001 when she was 17.
Giuffre first accused Andrew of sexually abusing her as part of a defamation case she filed against Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2015, in which she alleged the duo sex-trafficked her.
Andrew has made multiple attempts to block or delay the lawsuit with the help of a legal team the Queen is reportedly privately paying for, most recently claiming a 2009 settlement between Giuffre and Epstein protects him from litigation.
Giuffre's lawsuit against the Duke of York has been under the spotlight especially since Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking on December 29, though legal experts say the verdict could be overturned.
As celebrity brand management expert Eric Schiffer told Insider, the case puts the royal family at risk because of Andrew's proximity to the crown.
"It tosses the royal family a bit of spray of the septic muck that Andrew is trying to escape himself," he said.
Rather than addressing the lawsuit, the royal family has gone on the charm offensive, appearing to remind the public of the good side of the monarchy.
Although the Queen canceled the royal family's Christmas trip in light of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, members of the royal family still made headlines over the last month.
The Queen recently gave Daniel Craig an honor never-before given to an actor, as he received the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George for his "services to film and theatre"; William and Middleton shared a holiday card with a rare picture from a private family vacation, releasing their Christmas photo to the media for the first time in years; Windsor Castle sent a letter to a 1-year-old who dressed up like the Queen; and Prince Charles said he was "proud" of Prince Harry, despite rumors that the pair barely speak.
The historically stiff-lipped family seems to be using the same strategy it did after Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey, hoping a slew of positive press will distract from Andrew's ongoing legal battle.
During the interview, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said that a senior member of the royal family made racist comments about their son Archie's skin tone. Markle also said Middleton made her cry during the week of her wedding.
The interview damaged the public's perception of the royal family, with some even going as far to question why the monarchy still exists.
The royal family — William and Middleton in particular — appeared to respond to the criticism by adapting their public relations strategy, attempting to become more relatable to the public.
If the case goes to trial, a relatable royal family won't be enough to make the public forget about the allegations against Andrew
Although the royal family has had many setbacks in recent years, they pale in comparison to the threat Giuffre's sexual-assault allegations against Andrew could have on the monarchy.
And as Schiffer told Insider, the monarchy's positive press plays wouldn't be enough to make the public forget a senior member of the royal family has been accused of sexual assault.
"This is a terrible association on what was a disgusting set of crimes. Andrew's proximity to it and involvement with Epstein eviscerates his trust with many of the people in Britain," Schiffer said.
Indeed, Prince Andrew is currently the least popular senior member of the royal family, according to YouGov.
If the lawsuit against Andrew does go to trial, Schiffer predicts the royal family will separate itself from the Duke of York, ceasing to protect the prince from public scrutiny as it has for years when it comes to his association with Epstein.
The royal family has already distanced itself from the prince since Giuffre's allegations became public in 2019, with Andrew stepping back from his royal duties after over a dozen charities, universities, and businesses severed ties with him.
"You can't place him in official business of the family and have it damage the crown in a way that could be further blistering," Schiffer said. "They would be honoring the position that they have with the public, which is to maintain integrity and a moral compass."
