Today we explore some shocking incidents as we take a look at 11 biggest royal scandals of all time. For the sake of clarity, we decided to focus on royal scandals since the 1900s only. Otherwise, it would be hard to imagine anything else on the top of the list except Henry VIII (and probably few other spots as well.)
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Ranking royal scandals turned out harder than expected. How do you compare someone’s hidden foot fetish with an abdication that changed the course of history? After extensive research (we spent more time on some topics, like Kate Middleton’s topless photos, in the name of writing an objective and impartial article), we settled on 11 biggest royal scandals that got the most mentions on the Internet. In order to rank them, we devised a system based on consequences each scandal had on the royal family and their reputation. The categories are as follows: mildly embarrassing / embarrassing, mildly damaging / damaging / extremely damaging, and history changing, when the whole world felt the consequences of a royal blunder. Some of you may argue that our system is somewhat subjective, and to a certain extent, it may be. Chime in the comments section and let us know if you agree with our assessment or if you feel we undeservedly left your favorite shocking royal scandal out.
If you really enjoy reading about famous scandals, don’t miss our article on Biggest political scandals of all time as well. Without further ado we present you today’s list of the biggest royal embarrassments.
11. Foot fetish for a Duchess
Consequences: Mildly embarrassing
Technically speaking, perhaps it wasn’t a foot fetish on the part of John Bryan. Perhaps he was just reliving the ancient custom of subjects kissing their ruler (and their family members) feet. Whatever the reason was, the picture of a Texas businessman with topless Duchess Sarah’s feet lodged in his mouth was a final nail in the coffin of her marriage with Prince Andrew, Queen Elisabeth’s second son. There was no coming back for Fergie after that, already in hot water with Queen Lizzy. It seems that Fergie’s luck in love hasn’t changed much over the years, with the latest news of her failed relationship with Manuel Fernandez.
10. Duchess’ boobs
Consequences: Embarrassing
In 2012, the newlywed William and Kate were spending a vacation in Provence, France. Secured in the belief that the remoteness of the house they were in is protection enough for their privacy, the Duchess of Cambridge decided to take the girls out for a little sun. It was just the opportunity a paparazzi camped nearby with a powerful camera lens waited for. The topless Kate photos soon found their way to the front cover of a French magazine. However, the reaction was quite severe. Under pressure from both the British government and the outraged royal family, French authorities prosecuted both the magazine and the reporter under criminal charges.
9. Crown Jewels
Consequences: Mildly damaging
At some point, you have to ask yourself, what is with the royals and all the nudity? In 2012, Prince Harry was visiting Las Vegas. A visit to Vegas wouldn’t be much to talk about back home if there wasn’t a party involved, so Prince went to one. Things got a little out of hands and he got involved in a game of strip billiards. Soon, Prince ended up in his birthday suit and of course, somebody snapped a picture which ended up on the cover of The Sun. At the time, His Royal Highness Prince Henry was a third in line of succession for the throne, the fact that gave additional weight to the scandal. Apparently, not all that happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Some of it reaches as far as Buckingham Palace.
8. The Queen’s Sister
Consequences: damaging
Ever since their father inherited the throne from his ill-fated brother, Elisabeth and Margaret were in the public eye. Throughout the 2nd World War and the post-war years, Elisabeth was groomed for a future queen, while Margaret was often left behind. Her parents tried to compensate that by indulging her every whim, but it only made matters worse. Still, had she been permitted to marry her first love, RAF officer and a hero of the Battle of Britain Peter Townsend, she might have settled for a quiet life of a queen’s sister. However, since Townsend was a divorcee, she was forced by her family and the public to cancel the wedding. That decision seemed like a straw that broke the camel’s back and Princess Margaret soon became a regular guest in the gossip sections of the British newspapers. Her marriage with a photographer has caused many a consternation in Windsor. The couple paid no mind to critics and for a while, they seemed very happy together, breaking few royal stereotypes with their Bohemian lifestyle. But in the 1970s, both Margaret and her husband engage in a number of extramarital affairs that shook the British public on almost regular basis. In 1976 a photo of the Princess and her lover caused to marriage to end. Margaret continued with her signature lifestyle, which took its toll on her health in 1985 when she had one lung removed due to cancer. Princess died in 2002 and was mourned by her family, despite all the heartache she caused them.
7. Princess Anne
Consequences: damaging
Princess Anne accomplished a feat last performed by Henry VIII: a royal divorcee who married again. After her marriage with a handsome lieutenant of the Royal Guard Mark Phillips ended after his affair (which resulted in a child), she had several highly public relationship, including her own bodyguard, Sergeant Peter Cross. Finally, she settled with Commodore Timothy Laurence (the princess clearly has a thing for men in uniform), whom she married in a private ceremony. Her resentment with her mother and the entire royal family is best seen by the fact that she flatly refused Queen’s offer of earldom for her first husband. Her children, Zara and Tom, also don’t have any noble titles, which is highly unusual for grandchildren of a reigning monarch.
6. Randy Andy
Consequences: damaging
When Jeffrey Epstein underage sex trafficking scandal broke lose in 2006, for a moment it seemed it would be contained on the American side of the Atlantic. However, among those named as the participants of Epstein’s pimping was Prince Andrew. Former Fergie’s husband is another example of how a suzerain’s younger child often ends up on the wrong path in life. This was just one of the blunders Prince Andrew was accused of. His dealings with some of the most notorious dictators (like Muammar Qaddafi or Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev) have captured the headlines on several occasions. In 2007, it was revealed that Prince sold his mansion at Sunninghill Park for 15 million pounds, which was 3 million pounds above the asking price, to a Kazakh businessmen with ties to the regime in that country. In 2011, among growing pressure, he stepped down from his position of a special representative for international trade and investment. Prince’s behavior has been seen as a major blow to the royal family’s reputation, and he has been made a poster boy for the Republicans in British politics.
5. Nazi Prince
Consequences: damaging
Number 5 on our list of 11 biggest royal scandals of all time is enfant terrible of the royal family, Prince Harry. In 2005, just two weeks before the 60th anniversary of Auschwitz liberation (his uncle, Prince Edward, was selected to represent the Queen at the ceremony in Poland), Harry appeared dressed as the member of German Africa Corps, together with a red armband featuring swastika, at a fancy dress party. The outrage was massive. Former Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Doug Henderson, even called for Harry’s application to Sandhurst to be rejected and Prince denied the entry to the prestigious military academy his brother was already attending. In the end, his youth saved him from serious consequences, but it remained as one of the worst blunders royal family member committed in the last few decades.
4. Royal loudmouth
Consequences: extremely damaging
Prince Phillip isn’t really known as someone who thinks things through before opening his mouth. This usually leads to very embarrassing situations, especially when foreign diplomats are included, like the time he asked the Nigerian ambassador is he getting ready for bed after seeing him in a traditional garb. To be honest, Prince doesn’t discriminate and is often heard making fun of his British subjects as well. Perhaps his best known domestic gaff is when he inquired with the Scottish driving instructor about methods of keeping the Scots “off the booze long enough to get them through the test?” While these outbursts can be highly damaging, they’re nothing compared to the latest claims about his infidelity. If these prove to be true, we can easily imagine the Queen ordering the construction of scaffold in the Tower and hiring the Royal Executioner, just like in the good old days.
3. Princess Diana Affair
Consequences: extremely damaging
The Princess Diana affair is one of the heaviest blows royal family has received in the 20th century. Most of the details are already well known and there’s little to be added. The picture of her car smashed on the street of Paris is one of the most iconic and tragic images of our age. Universally beloved and respected, Lady D is still mourned today, years after her death.
2. Camilla’s trousers
Consequences: extremely damaging
Camilla’s trousers scandal, AKA Tampongate, It is an illustration of far bigger scandal, the one that set in motion a chain of events that ultimately led to Princes Diana’s untimely death on that fateful Parisian evening. Despite the official version at the time, it was later revealed that Charles and Camille’s affair didn’t end after his marriage to Lady D. The Tampongate refers to a taped phone conversation between the two, which brought attention to their relationship and ultimately led to Charles’ confession that he’s been involved with Camille since at least 1986. Here’s the full transcript. Be warned, it ranks pretty high on the yucky factor.
Charles: “Oh god. I’ll just live inside your trousers or something. It would be much easier!”
Camilla: (Laughs.) “What are you going to turn into, a pair of knickers?” (Both laugh). “Oh, you’re going to come back as a pair of knickers.”
Charles: “Or, God forbid, a Tampax. Just my luck!” (Laughs.)
Camilla: “You are a complete idiot!” (Laughs.) “Oh, what a wonderful idea!”
1. The King’s Speech
Consequences: history changing
At first glance, it seems like the most romantic of all love stories. After falling madly in love, he decides to renounce his throne (and the throne of the British Empire, no less), so he can marry her. However, the background was far more sinister and had Edward been allowed to marry Wallis Simpson, the British would probably got a Queen with a strong affection for Nazi Party and its leader, Adolph Hitler. Fortunately, we can only guess how the history of the world would unfold in that event. Still, as far as biggest royal scandals of all time go, a King’s abdication can hardly be topped.
