If you were a global bank trying to scream “trust,” “transparency,” and “not secretly funneling money around the world,” who would you choose to front your brand? If your first answer was “Prince Andrew’s daughter,” congratulations—you’re on the same wavelength as First Abu Dhabi Bank, which this week unveiled its new Mayfair HQ with a photo of Princess Beatrice beaming in the lobby like absolutely nothing was on fire. First Abu Dhabi Bank appears to have sent out a press release announcing the opening with a photo of Beatrice just hours before Andrew Lownie’s blistering new biography of her father, Prince Andrew, dropped, detailing a litany of murky financial entanglements, dodgy donors, and disgusting sexual behavior. Lownie’s book says that Andrew’s daughters have been pulled into his murky business dealings, most notably when, in 2019, a £750,000 payment landed in Andrew’s bank account from a Turkish fraudster that was identified as a “gift” to Princess Beatrice for her wedding. The wedding, a modest affair, was held a few months later—and attended by just 20 people. Princess Beatrice and First Abu Dhabi Bank have been contacted for comment.
