>> Continued From the Previous Page <<
The timing of her hire is telling.
In October 2025, Prince Andrew lost his remaining royal titles after an email surfaced revealing he remained in contact with Epstein at least through February 2011—undermining his previous claim that he severed ties in December 2010.
“We are in this together and will have to rise above it,” Andrew wrote to Epstein, according to reports, after photos of him with trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre came to light.
King Charles forced Andrew to relinquish the Duke of York title and leave Royal Lodge. William publicly supported the move.
But the fallout is far from over. U.S. Congressional investigators have demanded Andrew testify about Epstein’s trafficking operations, a request he has reportedly ignored.
William’s team isn’t new to PR missteps. In 2024, the palace mishandled a situation involving Kate’s abdominal surgery.
A Mother’s Day photo of Kate with her children was released by the palace, only for major news outlets to flag it as heavily edited. Many refused to run it.
Kate apologized, saying she had been “experimenting with editing,” but few believed the Princess of Wales had altered her own family photos. The incident left the palace scrambling for days before Kate’s cancer diagnosis was publicly revealed.
“It’s kind of remarkable how badly this was done,” Northeastern professor Peter Mancusi said. Crisis consultant Amanda Coleman added that the doctored photo debacle showed the old royal mantra of “never explain, never complain” no longer works. The palace took over 12 hours to respond after the media refused to publish the photo—an eternity in the age of social media.
Ravenscroft’s appointment came through Julian Payne, who previously served as King Charles’ communications secretary for five years and now runs Edelman UK. Payne reportedly recommended Ravenscroft for the Kensington Palace role.
“It is unlikely to be a coincidence that one of his most senior and respected members of staff has taken a key role in William’s office after a period of turmoil,” a source told the Mail on Sunday.
Palace insiders suggest Ravenscroft will handle daily press relations in a so-called “non-crisis” role—a thinly veiled attempt to downplay the severity of the situation. But someone with expertise in “sexual allegations” and “geopolitical risks” is unlikely to be needed just for routine media inquiries.
Prince William appears to be bracing for a prolonged period of scrutiny. Emails continue to surface, victims’ attorneys are speaking out, and Congress demands Andrew’s testimony. Reports indicate William has already barred his uncle from attending his future coronation.
The palace is clearly preparing for years of crisis management as William positions himself as the future of the monarchy. The family has once again been reminded that old strategies no longer work.
When your uncle’s ties to a deceased convicted pedophile dominate headlines, sticking to “never explain, never complain” is a strategy destined to fail.
