For decades, the royal family – without formally announcing it to the public – followed an unwritten rule: never complain, never explain.
In simpler terms, it means, 'don't defend yourself in the press; instead, stay resilient and carry on.'
The late Queen Elizabeth II is said to long employed the PR strategy. Her grandkid, Prince Harry, offered a glimpse into the code in an interview with 60 Minutes.
"The family motto is 'never complain, never explain', but it's just a motto ... [Buckingham Palace] will feed or have a conversation with a correspondent," he said in 2023.
"That correspondent," he continued, "will literally be spoon-fed information and write the story, and at the bottom of it, they will say they have reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. But the whole story is Buckingham Palace commenting."
However, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's scandal has reportedly weakened the binding force of the 'never complain, never explain' code.
First, Prince William issued a statement expressing "deep concerns" over the allegations levelled against him.
Following him came the monarch's statement, "The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor's conduct."
Now, a report in The Sun further dented the 'never complain, never explain' principle. It states the King has denied adding his share in £12 million, which Andrew paid Virginia Giuffre, his accuser, in an out-of-court settlement in 2022 over a sexual assault lawsuit.
Charles is said to have contributed £1.5 million to the total. "As far as anyone knows, he has still not repaid a single penny of the millions he borrowed."
"The money from the Royal Family bought her silence but denied Virginia her day in court and the chance to openly challenge his account of what happened," the source claims.
Reacting to the report, a Reddit user took a swipe at the royal family in an ironic way, questioning their long-standing policy of 'never complain, never explain.'
Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal expert, explained that top royal members are going against the motto in a bid to protect the monarchy's credibility.
"The Waleses' statement came first, which is significant too. William is obviously asserting himself. It is an urgent matter, as the monarchy's reputation is at stake," he previously told the Express.
The uproar over Andrew's alleged ties with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein reached a height where Thames Valley Police confirmed they are assessing the evidence to ascertain whether to launch an investigation.