[imagesource: Reuters/Chris Radburn/File]

Prince Andrew – remember him?

You know, the chap accused by multiple women of having sexually abused (and in at least one case, raped) them?

Whilst Meghan and Harry are hounded relentlessly by the British (and international) press, the Duke of York flies under the radar, chuckling away during horse riding jaunts on a country estate.

He recently suffered the horror of being quietly removed as a patron of almost 50 organisations – the indignity!

At least some questions are being asked about the 2007 sale of his property to controversial Kazakh energy tycoon Timur Kulibayev, with The Daily Beast leading the charge:

…Kulibayev bought Prince Andrew’s former home, Sunninghill, in 2007 for £15 million ($21 million), £3 million ($4.25 million) above the asking price—at which it had languished unsold for many years.

Despite suspicions that the inflated payment was an attempt by Kulibayev to win influence with the British elite, there has never been a public inquiry into the transaction.

Andrew has always denied the sale was anything other than evidence of his excellent business acumen…

After allowing the already shabby house, which was gifted to Andrew as a wedding present by the queen, to fall further into disrepair, Kulibayev finally tore down Sunninghill in 2015.

What a rags-to-riches story of being gifted a massive property by your mom, the Queen, before flogging it on for £15 million due to your “excellent business acumen”.

The property, which was nicknamed SouthYork, after the ranch in the 1980s TV show Dallas, is now back in the news because Kulibayev has torn down the original home and built “an ultra-modern mega-mansion”.

That’s according to The Daily Mail, which fails to mention even a single word about the sexual abuse allegations made against Prince Andrew.

It does say this:

As well as six en-suite bedrooms, it boasts sweeping glass balconies, towering French doors and a 25-metre swimming pool…

There is also a huge split-level terrace for entertaining, a sun deck, fountain, children’s play area, as well as a walled kitchen garden.

Image: Daily Mail

Further afield there are tennis courts, while outbuildings include a four-vehicle garage, guardhouses at the entrance and staff quarters…

Inside, the luxury continues. On the ground floor there is a gym with steam, ice and sauna rooms, a games room, library and guest bedroom.

Google ‘Daily Mail Meghan Harry’ and you’ll find a good half-dozen stories on any given day, though.

Kulibayev can certainly afford to pay well over the asking price for most things, with a net worth of around $3 billion, which is matched by his wife, the daughter of the former president of Kazakhstan.

It pays to have friends in high places, as Prince Andrew well knows.

[sources:dailybeast&dmail]