THE NEW YORK TIMES: The arrest of the former prince could shake public confidence in the monarchy.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have cast a long shadow over the British monarchy, even as King Charles III has taken strong action recently against his younger brother.
The case has the potential to shake confidence in a central pillar of the British establishment.
On Thursday morning, Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was arrested on suspicions of misconduct in public office amid reports that he had shared confidential information with Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a British trade envoy. In response to the arrest, the king said that “the law must take its course.”
Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor was later released from police custody after 7 p.m. local time, but he remained under investigation, the Thames Valley Police said in a statement.
It has been hard lately for senior royals to ignore the swirling family drama. During a recent public appearance, King Charles was heckled by a bystander about the Epstein case, a rare occurrence for a monarch who is usually greeted by polite applause from flag-waving crowds.
Even thousands of miles from Britain, on a recent visit to Saudi Arabia, there was no escape for his son Prince William. He appeared to ignore a television reporter’s shouted question about whether the royal family had done enough about the revelations about Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor’s ties to Mr. Epstein.
A British anti-monarchy group, known as Republic, claimed credit on Thursday for the arrest of Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor, saying in a statement that it was in response to a crime report sent to police by the group’s chief executive officer, Graham Smith. » | Stephen Castle | Reporting from London | Thursday, February 19, 2026
