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It is up to the Prince and Princess of Wales to save the Royal Family with pressure ‘falling squarely’ on their shoulders to rebuild its ‘integrity’ after the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, experts have said.
The detention of the King’s younger brother on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office represents the biggest crisis to hit the royals in modern history.
William and Kate, as the future of the monarchy, will now need to set out their vision for the institution over the next 50 years in a bid to save its reputation following the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Accusations over Andrew’s links to Epstein have plagued the family for years and finally came to a head with the release of files from his estate by the US Department of Justice. Some appeared to show the eighth-in-line to the throne sharing sensitive information during his time as a trade envoy.
With the former prince’s approval rating at a record low over his relationship with the convicted paedophile, crisis consultant Mark Borkowski has said William and Kate face having to somehow ‘establish the integrity of the royal family’.
He added: ‘Really, what do William and Kate do? What do their generation do with the crown, with all its soft power, its affairs of state, it’s beginning to feel a little bit like a European monarchy.
‘The pressure on William to communicate what the royal family is going to be over the next 50 years falls squarely on his shoulders.
‘The heavy weight of this burden on the Royal Family’s reputation lies with William and Kate and what they’re going to do.’
The Prince and Princess of Wales, who are known to be Andrew’s biggest critics behind closed doors, made clear this week they supported the King’s statement that ‘the law must take its course’ in relation to William’s uncle
The Princess of Wales has a net approval rating of 74 per cent, latest polling shows, compared to Andrew’s three per cent
The Prince and Princess of Wales, who are known to be Andrew’s biggest critics behind closed doors, made clear this week they supported the King’s statement that ‘the law must take its course’ in relation to William’s uncle.
The statement, which came just two hours after Andrew’s arrest by officers from Thames Valley Police was confirmed, was unprecedented in the history of the Royal Family and came uncharacteristically quickly.
The couple have been in lockstep with the King’s decisions to distance the Royal Family from Andrew, with Charles first stripping his brother of his titles last year.
Charles revealed the police would have his ‘wholehearted support and co-operation’ and expressed his ‘deepest concern’.
‘I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,’ he said.
‘What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.
‘Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.
‘As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.’
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Andrew is pictured leaving Aylsham Police Station in Norfolk shortly after 7pm on Thursday following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office
A police officer stood on Royal Lodge’s grand patio on Friday, as searches at Andrew’s former home entered a second day
It is understood the Prince and Princess were fully supportive of the statement, although neither William nor Kate have addressed recent events head on.
William has already said ‘change is on my agenda’ when he comes to the throne, but he may have to open himself and the monarchy up to greater scrutiny as long-held attitudes towards the Royal Family die out.
As they lead the monarchy into the future, public opinion is all-important, with its authority ultimately founded on the support and goodwill of ordinary men and women.
The deference towards members of the monarchy who live in palaces, are chauffeured to events and have personal fortunes, has persisted for centuries and helps sustain them.
But the arrest, and possible prosecution, of one of its senior members threatens all that.
And as far as popular opinion is concerned, Andrew is not exactly in the public’s good books.
Following years of allegations around sexual abuse and now misconduct, his approval rating fell to a record low of three per cent, a YouGov poll found last month – before his arrest.
In contrast, Prince William’s is the highest of the family at 77 per cent, with his wife’s close behind on 74 per cent.
A new poll this week found that 82 per cent of Britons now believe Andrew should be removed from the line of succession, while just six per cent say he should remain in it.
Worryingly for King Charles, although two in five believe he has handled the crisis well, one in three say he has handled it badly – and 58 per cent say the family as a whole has reacted too slowly to revelations about the former duke’s relationship with Epstein.
Andrew could recuse himself, although that seems unlikely, meaning the Government would have to use an Act of Parliament. It would require agreement from the 14 Commonwealth nations which still have the King as their head of state.
Andrew Bowie, a senior Tory MP, said it would be ‘the decent thing’ for Andrew to now voluntarily give up his place in the line of succession.
‘I think it would be the decent thing,’ the shadow Scotland secretary said.
‘Of course, if he’s found guilty of this, I think Parliament would be well within its rights to act to remove him from the line of succession.
‘But, let’s remember, he’s not been found guilty of anything just yet – he has yet to be charged with anything.’
The longer the row runs on, the more questions the monarchy will no doubt face.
Broadcaster David Dimbleby said that some members of the Royal Family ‘behave like people who are spoiled by entitlement’.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme on Friday, he added: ‘Not all of them, Princess Anne, a paragon of virtue, wonderful, it’s not universal.
A YouGov poll revealed that four out of five Britons (82%) believe Andrew should be removed from the line of succession. Just one in 20 (6%) said he should remain
Aerial pictures show the scene at Royal Lodge, on the Windsor estate, on Thursday after Andrew was taken into custody
‘But they’re lost in that world, nobody’s saying “come on pull yourselves together, do this, do that”.’
And the events of the past few days could see MPs and peers formally discussing the issues around Andrew’s friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Labour peer Lord Foulkes told the World at One: ‘I think there is now a clear expectation that there ought to be much more scrutiny.’
The politician said he has contacted MP Liam Byrne, chairman of the Business and Trade Commons Select Committee to ‘look’ into Andrew’s work as a trade envoy but conceded it may be difficult now the police are investigating.
The former Duke of York was held on suspicion of misconduct in public office after an early raid on his Sandringham home on Thursday on his 66th birthday.
He looked visibly shocked as he left Aylsham Police Station in Norfolk that night after more than 11 hours in custody having been processed like a ‘common criminal suspect’.
Officers from Thames Valley Police descended on Wood Farm at 8am and spent the day searching the Norfolk property, as well as the Royal Lodge in Windsor. Searches there will continue until Monday.
Detectives are probing Andrew’s conduct as a trade envoy for the UK, after emails in the Epstein Files suggested he may have shared confidential information with his paedophile friend, including reports of his official visits and potential investment opportunities.
After serving for 22 years in the Royal Navy, he became the UK’s special representative for international trade and investment in 2001.
He stepped down in 2011 amid the furore over his friendship with Epstein.
Emails released by the US Department of Justice appeared to show the former duke sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.
One email, dated November 2010, appeared to be forwarded by Andrew five minutes after being sent by his then-special adviser Amir Patel.
Another, on Christmas Eve 2010, appeared to send Epstein a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Experts have also suggested that the search of properties linked to the former prince may allow detectives to widen any investigations into claims of any sexual offences.
Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to his relationship with Epstein or claims of sexual offences.
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