Shell-shocked, haunted photo of Andrew will be part of how arrest is remembered
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s confused, disbelieving, haunted face will be part of how his arrest will be remembered.
This is not a particularly educational sight. After his release, Andrew is slumped in the backseat of the car, his fingers intertwined, whether in prayer or protection.
The collar is up. Therefore, his collar was felt. What did Andrew’s shocked expression look like when his mugshot was taken while in police custody?
It would be the equivalent of another famous photo of Andrew, which showed a smiling, confident prince next to 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre in a London mansion almost 25 years ago, when the capital was his playground.
Andrew and Virginia Giuffre’s photo was taken almost 25 years ago [US Department of Justice]
Previously, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor became the first senior member of the Royal Family to be arrested in modern history. It was another breathing moment.
This was followed by an unprecedented statement from his brother, King Charles. “Let me be clear: The law must take its own course,” read the King’s public statement, and offered no hiding places or royal departure clauses.
The arrest, made on suspicion of misconduct in public office, relates to Andrew’s time as Britain’s trade representative between 2001 and 2011. This follows a series of allegations that Andrew had shared official documents, which emerged with the publication of the Epstein files.
These included sharing reports from trade visits, sharing a classified briefing on investments in Afghanistan with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and forwarding a Treasury briefing to a personal business contact.
Being a member of the Royal Family will not make any legal difference to how his case will be handled.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with Epstein.
The police’s rambling statement on Thursday morning was a blunt news earthquake: “The man is currently in police custody.”
Who would have thought that we would read this sentence while the man in question was still at the stage of heir to the throne and remained an advisor of state in theory, if not in practice?
Andrew’s explanation for his behavior will not appear in a TV interview. The public will not forget the BBC’s Newsnight interview, which was the last time Andrew spoke publicly about his relationship with Epstein.
This time it will not take place under the lights of television, but in the presence of lawyers and investigators, and the consequences of any lie will be much more serious.
The police action on a winter’s morning in Norfolk was a remarkable piece of breaking news, and it also seemed to surprise the King as much as anyone else.
But the story of Andrew’s connections to Epstein had been decades in the making; So is Andrew’s downfall; First it damaged his reputation, then it snowballed into disgrace.
His relationship with Epstein meant Andrew lost his role as trade envoy in 2011, and after that disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019, he was sacked as a royal employee.
His retreat from public life was further completed following his 2022 plea deal with his accuser, Virginia Giuffre.
And in October last year, when emails revealed Andrew had not cut ties with Epstein as he claimed, he was stripped of his titles as prince and duke and eventually evicted from his home at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
These were harsh sanctions that removed all vestiges of royal status.
The palace has experienced some tense moments recently; the scammers posed questions suggesting they might be protecting Andrew.
The King’s statement will be aimed at drawing a line under this and insulating the Royal Family from what might happen to Andrew.
Another important factor in the realization of all this is the mood of the public. The Epstein files and what they revealed about a network of highly connected but low-morals caused people to resent such incalculable power and wealth.
It felt like harassment to the public when rich and influential people appeared to be immune from the consequences of their actions, whether in terms of sex or money. It appeared to the public that the price for corruption had been paid.
What makes the arrest even more resonant is that it occurred on Andrew’s 66th birthday. Any candle would have to wait.
There are references to Andrew’s previous birthdays in the Epstein files, such as a 50th birthday celebration at St James’s Palace.
One of the people who had to decline the invitation to that night of “mysterious mischief” was Jeffrey Epstein, who remains under house arrest for procuring a minor for prostitution.
Andrew celebrated his birthday 12 months ago as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Knight of the Garter. Who knows what will change on your next birthday?
