The Daily Beast Podcast

Episode: How Epstein's Sick Sleaze is Destroying the Royals

Host: Hugh Docherty (filling in for Joanna Coles)

Guest: Tom Sykes (The Royalist, Daily Beast Royal Correspondent)

Date: February 17, 2026

Overview of Episode Theme

This explosive episode delves into the ongoing and multifaceted crisis engulfing the British Royal Family as new details emerge connecting Prince Andrew and even King Charles to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. The discussion centers on how these revelations—from sex trafficking allegations to leaked confidential government information—are shattering the monarchy’s reputation, exposing deep-rooted dysfunction, and igniting unprecedented public and political outcry in Britain and beyond.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unraveling of the Royal Family's "Stable Equilibrium"

• Tom Sykes uses a physics analogy to describe how the Royal Family, once thought to always revert to stability after crises, is now in an "unstable equilibrium" akin to a toppled pile of snooker balls.
  • Quote (Tom Sykes, 02:49):
    "We've always assumed that the Royal Family is in a stable equilibrium ... but this crisis around Prince Andrew has metastasized ... it feels like it's going to be very hard for the Royal Family just to come back to its original shape."

2. King Charles’s Alleged Payout & Palace Response

• Revelation that King Charles allegedly contributed £1.5 million (~$2.2 million) to the Virginia Giuffre settlement has intensified scrutiny.
  • The palace is disputing details, but sources and reputable journalists (notably Matt Wilkinson of The Sun) stand by the reporting (07:14).
• Attempt to pin blame on Queen Elizabeth is called "disgraceful," given her frail health in her final years and Charles’s increasing control before her death.

3. New Details: Prince Andrew's Misconduct

• Discussion moves from well-known Epstein-related sexual abuse allegations to new revelations, notably the sharing of confidential government information with Epstein.
  • Quote (Tom Sykes, 12:49):
    "One of the extraordinary emails ... shows Andrew saying to his secretary, Amanda Thirsk, can you get me the reports about, you know, what's going on in this country? ... She finally gets them, sends them to Andrew. He just sends them on to Epstein. I mean, it is absolutely extraordinary."
• Possible "Al Capone" scenario: Prince Andrew might ultimately face charges for Official Secrets Act violations rather than sex crimes, as the digital paper trail is clear and difficult to contest.

4. International Fallout & The Web of Influence

• The scale of Epstein’s reach is highlighted, implicating power players not only in Britain but the US, Middle East (notably connections to Saudi Arabia and Emirati business figures), and beyond.
• William's Earthshot Prize comes under investigation after links to Emirati donor Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem (who corresponded with Epstein from jail) surface.
• US Congressional pressure, particularly from Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, has fueled the public release of files.

5. The Dysfunction of Royal Response

• Andrew’s complete silence (no spokesperson, no response), contrasted with statements from Prince William and King Charles denouncing the revelations, underscores deep divisions and a PR vacuum (15:25).
• Charles’s statement pledging police cooperation, issued as Prince William began a diplomatic trip, is seen as a damaging instance of royals undermining each other for personal positioning.

6. Police Investigation and the "Above the Law" Issue

• The episode explores uncharted territory for the monarchy: the specter of police investigation into a senior royal, which is historically unprecedented except for minor infractions (22:27).
• The constitutional question: If the King knows and justice is performed in his name, can a family member truly be prosecuted?

7. Dark Tactics: Mental Health Allegations

• Reports emerge of the palace painting Andrew as "unstable" and possibly suicidal, prompting speculation about institutional attempts to sideline or silence him (26:54).
  • Quote (Tom Sykes, 29:17):
    "There's definitely an attempt to paint Andrew now as mentally unstable ... The language is really similar to what was used around Diana."

8. Will Andrew Testify Before Congress?

• Host and guest agree that Andrew is highly unlikely to voluntarily testify before the US Congress regarding the Epstein scandal (30:40).

9. Notorious Palace Behavior: Mrs. Windsor and the Revolving Door

• Palace staff recount Andrew using the code "Mrs. Windsor will arrive shortly" for young women he brought to Buckingham Palace—a sign of impunity and institutional rot (33:01).
  • Quote (Tom Sykes, 33:01):
    "...the joke in the palace was that Andrew should have a revolving door fitted to his bedroom."

10. Implications for the Future of the Monarchy

• Public support for the monarchy reaches historic lows; polls show less than 50% want to keep the monarchy (37:12).
• William seen as likely to radically restructure the Royal Family, stripping non-working royals of HRH status and privileges (38:35).
• Tom Sykes speculates that only a "proper apology" from Charles and a quasi-abdication in favor of William could salvage the institution at this point.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the scale of Andrew's misconduct (Tom Sykes, 09:42):
  "We've had this drip, drip, drip of documents ... more and more stuff is emerging every day, limited really only by the bandwidth of the number of journalists able to search through it."
• On the PR disaster of Charles overshadowing William (Tom Sykes, 20:02):
  "But to blow your son out of the water when he's on a massive diplomatic mission ... that really gets to the heart of this conflict between William and Charles, which is tearing the royal family apart."
• On accountability and the monarchy’s future (Tom Sykes, 41:47):
  "We’re only limited at the moment by how many reporters an editor wants to assign to search through those files ... I think ultimately this is going to end up with Andrew being arrested and with Charles making one of those ... videos with the BBC saying I'm terribly sorry and I'm devastated and I apologize fulsomely to the entire Nation."

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:49 | Physics analogy: The monarchy’s unstable "equilibrium" exposed by recent scandals | | 07:14 | King Charles's alleged payout, and attempts to blame Queen Elizabeth | | 12:49 | Prince Andrew acquiring—and sending—government secrets to Jeffrey Epstein | | 15:25 | Official responses (or lack thereof) from Andrew, William, and Charles | | 20:02 | Conflict between William and Charles, PR fiasco over statements | | 26:54 | Palace narratives: Painting Andrew as unstable and the implications | | 30:40 | Likelihood of Prince Andrew testifying before US Congress | | 33:01 | Palace security: The “Mrs. Windsor” code and the palace’s lax oversight | | 37:12 | Historic lows in public support for the monarchy; the reform agenda for William | | 41:47 | The future: more revelations to come, calls for a real investigation, and speculation on Charles needing to apologize |

Closing Thoughts

This episode lays bare the extent to which the Epstein scandal has not only entangled but actively corroded the fabric of the British Royal Family. As relentless new evidence and dramatic backroom maneuvers emerge, the monarchy faces an existential reckoning. Sykes’ reporting paints a picture of an institution in turmoil: internally divided, publicly damaged, and with its very legitimacy now questioned as never before.

Listen for sharp, unsparing insights into the palace’s dysfunction, the shadow of Epstein, and the historic crossroads facing the British monarchy.

Selected Notable Quotes for Reference:

• Tom Sykes (02:49): "I think the feeling now is that this crisis ... has metastasized ... it's going to be very hard for the Royal Family just to come back to its original shape."
• Tom Sykes (12:49): "...He just sends them on to Epstein. I mean, it is absolutely extraordinary."
• Tom Sykes (29:17): "There's definitely an attempt to paint Andrew now as mentally unstable."
• Tom Sykes (33:01): "...the joke in the palace was that Andrew should have a revolving door fitted to his bedroom."