The British monarchy has weathered wars, revolutions, and constitutional crises, but it may not survive the scandal stemming from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the wake of his arrest, a leading expert on the Royal Family has said.
The British monarchy has weathered wars, revolutions, and constitutional crises, but it may not survive the scandal stemming from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ties to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the wake of his arrest, a leading expert on the Royal Family has said.
British police on Thursday
arrested Andrew, King Charles’ younger brother, in a case of misconduct in public office. The case stems from the allegation that he shared sensitive government information with Epstein when he was a British trade envoy (2001–11).
Robert Jobson, a top expert on the Royal Family, noted in an article in The Daily Mail that nothing in his 35‑year career covering the monarchy compared to Andrew’s scandal — not even Princess Diana’s death, the dramatic separation of Diana and Charles, or Prince Harry’s fallout with the family.
Indeed, the ongoing crisis is not just a first in decades but in centuries. After all, Andrew is the first senior member of the Royal Family to be arrested since 1647 when King Charles I was detained during the English Civil War and was executed two years later for high treason.
Investigations into Andrew might undo the British monarchy, warns expert
British media have reported that nine police departments are
investigating accusations stemming from Andrew’s relationship with Epstein.
Jobson noted that their inquiries —particularly that of London’s Metropolitan Police— will open a can of worms that might prove to be the monarchy’s undoing.
The Met is examining allegations that Andrew’s security detail —when he was still a prince and held his titles— turned a blind eye to alleged sexual abuse he committed during visits to the private island where Epstein ran his sex‑trafficking and abuse operation.
Epstein’s most well‑known victim, the late Virginia Giuffre, has
accused Andrew of sexually abusing her thrice when she was 17 at the London home of Epstein’s partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, and at Epstein’s homes in New York and on his private island in the American Virgin Islands. She alleged that Andrew had sex with her without her consent while knowing she was a minor and a victim of sex trafficking.
Jobson noted that the pocketbooks of Andrew’s personal security officers were never seized or examined. These pocketbooks contain meticulous logs of every journey and every overnight stay — and their contents could easily contain damning revelations.
Jobson said the consequences could be “life‑threatening” for the monarchy.
With inquiries into Andrew’s personal security officers’ records, Jobson noted that nothing would remain hidden: Palace obfuscation, courtiers’ explanations about complications surrounding Andrew’s behaviour, and where the $16 million (£11.8 million) payment to his chief accuser, Giuffre, came from.
Andrew’s Epstein ties could implicate Charles
Jobson warned that Andrew’s trial could even implicate Charles.
If Andrew claims that he had kept Charles informed of any part of his conduct under investigation, the implications for the constitution would be extraordinary, as Charles cannot testify in his own courts, Jobson pointed out.
While Jobson did not go into the specifics, such a situation could mean one of two things: either the collapse of the case, which would massively damage the standing of the Royal Family, or Charles’ abdication for the case to proceed fairly. In either case, it would be a situation without parallel in modern British history.
Charles is scheduled to visit the United Kingdom later this year for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The visit, however, is set to be marked by allegations about his brother. While the royalists have cushioned the public criticism in the United Kingdom, there would be no such shield in the United States.
Representative Ro Khanna has said that Charles “has to answer what he knew about Andrew” and warned the monarchy itself could fall if he would not.
With such a sentiment in the United States, Jobson noted that Charles’ visit “risks becoming the most damaging royal walkabout in modern history even though Andrew has now been arrested”.
“Charles and William understand better than anyone the danger of the swirling water they are now entering. It fills them with dread. Understandably so. Because never in my lifetime has the monarchy looked so vulnerable,” Jobson concluded.
End of Article
