by Christos Zabounis

The good news is that Queen Elizabeth II’s two corgis will remain “within the family,” as announced by the Palace. The bad news, however, is that Sandy and Muick — those are their names — will likely be separated from the care of Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York. She, together with her ex-husband Prince Andrew, had taken them in at the Royal Lodge, the 30-room royal residence where they had been living until their recent eviction. And while Andrew’s new destination has already been decided, Sarah remains in limbo. The “two most beloved divorcees in the world” will now have to live apart. A harsh punishment — beyond the stripping of titles and permanent exile from “The Firm,” as the British royal family is often called. The first instinct of any human being is survival. Throughout its thousand-year history, many members have been sacrificed to preserve the monarchy in Shakespeare’s land. Who can forget King Edward VIII’s abdication in 1936 over his morganatic marriage, or the sacrifice of Princess Margaret’s personal happiness — the consequences of which were made known to anyone who watched the television series The Crown? What is also well known is that Andrew — named after his grandfather, Prince Andrew of Greece — was protected in many ways by his mother, who had a particular fondness for him throughout her long and eventful life. That “tradition,” albeit with less warmth, was maintained by her son, King Charles III. Yet the avalanche of revelations surrounding the Epstein affair proved decisive in confirming a decision that had already been made upon his accession to the throne. More details on the matter can be found in the Mancode magazine, published with Kathimerini on Sunday, December 7.